An NHS worker was left penniless when she was gave up work and faced a five-week benefit wait.
Rachel, 43, thought her worries were over when she was given an advance payment of £1,300 by the job centre.
However, she was then hit with monthly deductions from her Universal Credit in order to repay the 'advance', pushing her further into debt.
Rachel, who worked for the NHS for 27 years, is the focus of a new BBC Two show Universal Credit: Inside the Welfare State, which starts at 9pm tonight.
She signed on to Universal Credit after leaving work to look after her two young kids and her elderly parents.
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While waiting for her first payment, she told the camera crew: “By the time you’ve paid the bills and got any food shopping I don’t think we are going to have anything left.
“I don’t expect to have a lavish lifestyle but I do expect to be able to live from week to week and month to month."
The single mum received a £1,300 'advance' from the job centre during her five-week initial wait.
However, she was told she had to repay the sum over the next 12 months, adding to her worries.
Rachel said: "They gave me the full amount. I didn’t even ask for it. So I’ve got to pay that back. I’m dreading opening up the message."
Later on she discovered her Universal Credit would be reduced by £109 a month to pay back the 'advance'.
She became so desperate while waiting for her first payment that she had to borrow money from her parents, with the stressful situation exacerbating her anxiety and depression.
Rachel asked the job centre to spread her 'advance' repayments over a longer period than a year.
However, officials told her this was not possible, although they said she could delay the repayments, The Sun reports.
The mum found it so hard to cover her bills while receiving the reduced benefit that she had to use her overdraft.
She ultimately started looking looking for a job, despite being signed off work by doctors.
Tonight's episode of the three-part BBC series was filmed in a job centre in Peckham, London.
The programme follows the former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Amber Rudd and a job centre worker.
Benefit claimant Declan's story is also included in the programme.
The 47-year-old rough sleeper was supposed to receive £317 a month, however previous 'advances' meant he was entitled to just £262 after deductions.
This left him unable to pay for electricity when he secured a home - and he relied on a food bank to feed himself.
He told the documentary team that he previously sent out at least 15 applications a day just to get a labouring job.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said Rachel is now working part-time.
They added that there is support for people on Universal Credit online.
