**Disabled Single Mother Faces Financial Strain After Benefit Reforms**
A single mother from Rhyl has spoken out about the financial hardship she now faces following recent benefit changes, claiming she is £500 a month worse off as a result. Hannah Leonard, 41, who works as a social care practitioner for Denbighshire Council and has the genetic condition achondroplasia, shared her struggle to balance work, caring for her six-year-old autistic daughter Darcey, and managing with significantly reduced financial support.
Hannah’s difficulties highlight growing concerns among families caring for disabled children, as sweeping welfare reforms are implemented across the UK. She previously received working family tax credits and disability tax credits, which together provided crucial support worth approximately £500 per month. These benefits have ceased under the new system, while the cost of living and specialist care for her daughter continues to rise.
Describing her situation, Hannah explained that she feels “penalised for being responsible” and questioned the fairness of a system that bases support not only on household income but also on how many earners contribute to it. Her view is that, had she a partner sharing her salary, their household could receive more support through Universal Credit than she can access as a single, working parent. This, she says, puts single carers at an unfair disadvantage.
Darcey, who does not share her mother’s condition, requires constant care because she is autistic, non-verbal, has epilepsy and struggles with both speech and swallowing. She communicates using an iPad and needs one-to-one support at her mainstream school. The additional costs for Darcey’s care are significant: apart from a lack of NHS-funded therapy, Hannah pays £100 per month for private speech and language therapy, an equal amount for swimming lessons, and anticipates an extra £60 per month in travel costs for upcoming therapy sessions in Liverpool. For Hannah, these are essential, not optional extras.
Balancing these escalating expenses with her job and parental responsibilities has proven physically and emotionally exhausting. “By Friday, I’m typically shattered from work and managing everything at home,” Hannah said. She points out the difficulty in finding rest, particularly as her daughter gets older, stronger and more physically demanding to look after. On top of this, as her own joints become stiffer with age due to achondroplasia, Hannah worries the challenges are only set to increase.
Her financial anxieties are exacerbated by rules around savings and benefits. The threshold for extra state support is just £14,000 in savings. As someone who has faced redundancy twice, Hannah is determined to maintain some savings in case of emergencies, but this means she receives less help. She believes this cut-off is unrealistic for single parents who need a financial buffer, leading her to feel she is “penalised for being responsible” with money.
These personal experiences echo the findings of a report published on 2 June by the Family Fund charity. According to their latest research, families across Wales and the UK who are raising disabled or seriously ill children are being plunged further into debt, with many unable to meet the essential additional costs of care, equipment, travel and therapy. The ‘Cost of Caring 2025’ report surveyed over 2,300 families, including 145 from Wales, and found that 44% could not meet everyday living expenses even while receiving disability benefits.
Only 7% of parent carers reported being able to work as much as they want, due to the demands of caregiving. The Family Fund has issued 200,000 grants and instances of support in the past year, a notable increase from the previous 12 months. Chief executive Cheryl Ward stated, “Barriers to paid work as a route out of poverty remain unchanged. Families raising disabled and seriously ill children can’t escape the cycle of debt and deprivation until these challenges are addressed.”
Government changes include stricter testing for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), freezes on certain benefits and planned modifications to Universal Credit calculations, all part of a drive to save £6 billion. While the Department for Work and Pensions has pledged support for those in genuine need, charities and carers argue that the latest reforms are failing the most vulnerable.
For Hannah and others in similar situations, the daily costs, emotional strain and bureaucratic hurdles persist. She remains committed to advocating for her daughter’s needs, determined that Darcey will have the opportunities and support to thrive, even if it means confronting the system at every turn. “She deserves the world,” Hannah said simply, “and we’re just fighting for her to get that.”