Currently, Ms Thomsons’ rent is £1,271 for her three-bed house where she lives with her son, 14, and daughter, 11.

Because of her rent, her allowances are over £2,000 and her payments are reduced due to the benefit cap. 

She receives £325 standard allowance and £520 child support, but every month £600 of that flies out of her account as she claims £35 child benefit per week and is paying back two loans she took out when they first moved in and needed to pay for a bed and council tax. 

After all of these expenses, she is left with £161 a month for utilities, council tax, food and clothes.