A single mum will have her day in court today in a legal fight that could help hundreds of thousands of parents on Universal Credit.
Nichola Salvato fell into debt and turned to a payday lender due to rules that force claimants to pay up-front for childcare.
Parents on Universal Credit can claim 85% of the cost of childcare, up to a cap of £646 per month, for each child under 16. But they must pay up-front and claim the costs back later, which leaves parents facing four-figure bills.
The 49-year-old benefits advisor from Brighton will challenge the childcare rules in a two-day hearing in the High Court. Her lawyers will say the policy discriminates against women because it hits single parents - who are mostly women - the hardest.
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