THE Citizens' Advice Bureaux in Okehampton and Tavistock has made a call for free school meals and extra support from the Government's flagship Universal Credit reform to help low income families. New analysis published by Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) shows that many families on low incomes in West Devon are set to lose out because of government reforms. The interim manager at the charity, which has offices in Tavistock and Okehampton, has called for extra support for parents to pay for childcare and for free school meals to be made available to the children of all parents who receive the new benefit, to ensure that people can afford to take on extra hours of work while paying for childcare costs. The research shows that despite government measures to help families pay for childcare, which the CAB said for many families was more expensive than mortgage repayments, many parents will still struggle with costs. In one scenario analysed by the charity, a working mother on minimum wage with two young children will be worse off working 24 hours a week than 16 hours. A mother of two teenagers could work 20 hours instead of 16 and find herself £4 a week worse off — enough to pay for three days of school meals. Mandy Kenyon from Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon CAB, said: 'Paying for childcare is one of the biggest drains on household income and adds huge pressure on families trying to make ends meet. 'The cost of childcare has gone up more than 70 per cent in the past ten years and for many parents the cost can prevent them from taking on work. 'For parents, striking the balance between holding down a job and managing family life is a big challenge. 'People need a system which is easy to understand, gives them support with childcare and under which work always pays. It's vitally important to people in West Devon that these small changes are made to give working families a helping hand.' Universal Credit represents what the CAB has called 'the biggest shake-up in benefits since the welfare state began'. It is a single benefit payment which is replacing six working age benefits. Its introduction will affect eight-million households across England and Wales. Citizens' Advice chief executive Gillian Guy said: 'Ministers are in danger of setting low income families a parent trap. 'There is a risk that government's reforms will work against each other and harm the very people ministers want to support. 'Families with young children should not have to have a maths degree to work out whether it pays to work extra hours. 'Simple changes to how Universal Credit operates would clear up so much of the confusion. 'Extra support for childcare, free school meals made available to the children of all parents receiving the new single benefit and allowing second earners to keep a larger share of their income would better reward work and simplify matters for parents.' Geoffrey Cox, MP for West Devon and Torridge, said he would be studying the CAB's report: 'Any report from the CAB, which deals daily with the welfare system, deserves very careful study and I shall be taking up its content with the Secretary of State. 'The new welfare reforms are intended to ensure all those who want to work are not trapped in the benefits system because it does not pay them to do so, and to support those in work better. 'The Government is monitoring the practical effect of the changes and I am sure will consider carefully the CAB's suggestions for improvement in the new system.' MP for Central Devon Mel Stride said: 'Despite less money to go around, the Government is doing a great deal to make childcare more widely available and more affordable. 'We are also dramatically expanding the provision of free school meals. 'I will however, be seeking a meeting with the CAB locally to better understand the issues they are facing.' The new report from CAB, 'Pop Goes the Payslip' is available to view at http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk">www.citizensadvice.org.uk For advice and information from the CAB in Okehampton and Tavistock call 0844 111444 or call into the offices in Tavistock on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10am and 2pm, or Okehampton on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 10am and 2pm.