A SELF-EMPLOYED yoga instructor facing homelessness has criticised the government’s Universal Credit benefits system.

Alex Golding, 45, quit her job as a university linguistics lecturer to start her own yoga and wellbeing instruction company just over a year ago.

But now she is worried she will become part of the “working homeless” as her benefits are due to expire.

“Most new businesses run at a loss for the first couple of years, but the Government only gives one year of support to the self-employed,” said Alex, from the Brunswick area of Hove.

“I have got seven or eight classes a week but that only pays for my rent and bills.

“Without any help I could become part of the working homeless.

“I have been in touch with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), I’ve said to them that I am not going to have my flat but they’re not interested.”

Current Universal Credit rules give new business owners a one-year start up period for the self-employed to get their businesses up and running, but after this support is cut dramatically.

Once the start-up period ends, Alex’s benefits will stop being paid according to her actual income and instead her pay will be calculated by a “minimum income floor”.

This means the Government will assume Alex is at least earning minimum wage and will cut her Universal Credit payments, leaving her with less money to live on.

“They know I am going to lose my flat,” she said.

“The Government has made a mistake but they are doing nothing about it.

“I am not the only one.

“I don’t have anyone to fall back on.

“I’ve been applying for jobs, I’m hardworking, but I can’t even get a restaurant job without qualifications.

“I don’t know what to do.”

Alex has contacted Peter Kyle, MP for Hove, who has said he will fight her case with the DWP.

Mr Kyle said: “Universal Credit simply isn’t fit for purpose when it comes to self-employed claimants.

“People like Alex, who are hard working and keen to get on but have complicated professional and personal situations, are being let down and this needs to change.”

The Government has announced that, from September 2020, self-employed people will now have a two year start-up period but this won’t apply to people who have already been moved to the minimum income floor.

This means Alex and other self-employed people like her will still struggle to make ends meet unless the Government changes course.

The DWP was unable to provide a comment.