North mum of seven gives up benefits to take job as welder

Mar 16 2008 by Michael Kelly, Sunday Sun

SINGLE mum-of-seven Nicola Bertram has escaped from a life on benefits . . . by becoming a welder.

Yet incredibly, after grafting all week, she is actually left with £116 less to spend on her family than when she was on the dole.

But she doesn’t care because she loves working and it has allowed her to fulfil a promise she made to her dying dad.

Nicola, 36, said: “Financially, I’m a lot worse off working but I love my job.

“I’m determined to end up better off for the sake of my children.”

Nicola, from Cramlington, in Northumberland, was married at 16 and had her first child at 17. For the next 17 years, she lived off benefits.

Up until last year, she got £267 a week in benefits as well as £90 family allowance and had her rent and council tax paid.

But, after getting sick of being trapped at home, she decided to study engineering at college and get a job as a welder.

For the last year she has continued her studies, while also working part-time at an engineering company in Newcastle.

Nicola earns £96 for a 16-hour week and gets around £229 a week in working tax credits.

She now has to pay £50 towards the rent for her four-bedroom, terraced council house and around £20 a week towards her council tax. Finally, Nicola also has to pay £80 a week car running costs.

She no longer gets family allowance for her eldest daughter and son, who have dropped out of college, losing her £24 a week in family allowance.

Nicola said: “It’s a struggle but we manage and I don’t want to complain. My kids are happy and well cared for.

“I love my job and, hopefully, one day I’ll earn more money.”

Nicola left Cramlington High School with eight GCSE passes.

Just months later, she married her boyfriend, who she had known for one year.

Her first child was Kirsty, who is now 18.

Next came Ross, now aged 16, followed by Jamie, 15, Mark, 14, and Alex, 12.

But in 1996, Nicola and her husband split.

She later met a boyfriend and had two more children — Kieran, now aged seven, and Abby, aged five.

Sadly, that relationship also ended.

Nicola was helped by her mum Edith, a former cook, and her dad Pip, who worked as a postman.

But four years ago, her dad died of cancer at the age of 54.

Nicola said: “I made a promise to him that I wouldn’t be on benefits all my life. He always wanted the best for me.”

A man she knows, who works as a plater, told her she could earn good money as a welder so in September 2006, Nicola started studying engineering and welding at Northumberland College, in Ashington. A year later she also began working part-time for an engineering company in Newcastle, where she makes metal battery boxes for forklift trucks.

While at work or college, the childcare is split between Kirsty, Nicola’s mum and friends.

Nicola said: “When I was on benefits, I used to miss having adults to talk to.

“Now, if I’m fed up when I go to work, it isn’t for very long. The jokes are great and it perks you up.

“Physically it can be hard. You can be dripping with sweat when you’re working.

“I’ve got a lot stronger since I started working. My muscles are more toned and it’s good for keeping you fit.”

She jokes: “As soon as I get home, I usually tell the kids off for the mess. It’s constantly messy.”

Nicola recently beat 10 men to win Student of the Year award from the Northumbria branch of the Welding and Joining Society.

She said: “One possibility is to end up as a welding engineer in a chemical plant. They earn around £40,000 a year.

I might even work on an oil rig when the kids are a bit older.”

Despite making the break from a life on benefits, Nicola does not want to preach to other single mums.

She said: “It’s hard going to work but it gives you that boost and you feel better about yourself. Sometimes I feel the kids do miss out and resent me going to work.

“I couldn’t give them everything they wanted when they were younger. Hopefully, in a few years I will have a better-paid job.

“I know in the long-run, things will be better. I’m doing all this for my kids.”

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How worker Nicola is now worse off..

NICOLA’S weekly income when not working . . .

1 £220 child tax credits

2 £47 income support benefits, after water rates deducted.

3 Family allowance of around £90.

Total income . . . £357

Weekly income when working . . .

1 £229 in child and working tax credits.

2 £66 in family allowance.

3 £96 wages.

Total income of . . . £391

Additional costs of working . . .

1 Rent — £50.

2 Council tax — £20.

3 Cost of running car — £80, approximately.

Total . . . £150

That leaves Nicola with just £241 . . . and £116 worse off than when she wasn’t working.