A MUM who cancelled Halloween has spoken out about how Universal Credit issues lead her to make the decision.

Lindsey Bradley, from Padgate, dropped her annual plans of a Halloween spectacle at her home and made sure treat or treaters knew who was to blame with a sign outside her home.

Universal Credit was brought in to replace six benefits with a single monthly payment for those on low incomes, or those who are out of work.

But the Government is facing widespread pressure to halt the further roll-out of it following problems.

Lindsey said:"We live in an area where people don't have a lot of money, so every year we held a Halloween extravaganza.

"We dressed up, decorated and had a smoke machine.

"But recently, my partner had to come out of work because of Crohn's disease and we just couldn't afford it.

"They put us on income support when my partner finished from work when they should have put us on Universal Credit from the start.

"Then they stopped our money in June and we had nothing to live on and we get our next payment on November 5.

"I thought, 'I'm going to put a sign out there so everyone will understand'."

Warrington was an early adopter of Universal Credit and since April 2017, the council has made local welfare support payments totalling £12,722 to universal credit applicants across the borough.

A total of £166,299 in discretionary housing payments have been made to residents struggling to meet rental costs, or in rent arrears, due to universal credit problems.

Lyndsey added: "The sign has been all over snap chat and social media.

"Kids were crying because we weren't doing Halloween this year and I felt awful but that's what Universal Credit is doing to us.

"I have worked all my life and it's such a shame the effect that it's having."