She gave birth to her first child, Zachary, back in 2008.
And Stacey Solomon, who is now a mum-of-four, has opened up about the financial struggles of becoming a single mother at just 17.
Talking on Friday’s episode of Loose Women, the 32-year-old said that the government benefits she received at the time ‘saved my life’.
Young mum: Stacey Solomon, 32, has shared the financial struggles she faced being a single mum at just 17 years old (pictured after giving birth to son Zachary in 2008)
The star explained that she was given a Sure Start Grant, which provides mothers with financial aid to help with a new baby.
She shared: ‘I was given a Sure Start Grant, which is what it was called at the time, and I can’t tell you how much that saved my life’.
‘My working tax credits saved our lives, we could not have got by without those.’
She continued to explain that she relied on government help to buy essentials such as baby milk and supplies.
Life saving: Talking on Friday’s episode of Loose Women, the star said that the government benefits she received at the time ‘saved my life’
She shared: ‘I was given a Sure Start Grant, which is what it was called at the time, and I can’t tell you how much that saved my life’
‘The milk tokens that we used to get, to help us buy SMA and milk and stuff from the shops that we couldn’t afford,’ she carried on.
But taking the conversation back to the present, Stacey used the opportunity to express how difficult it is for single mothers under today’s government.
She told her fellow panellists: ‘All of that got abolished, some of my friends who are in similar circumstances now, don’t even have those opportunities. They’re completely taken away from people.’
Essentials: ‘The milk tokens that we used to get, to help us buy SMA and milk and stuff from the shops that we couldn’t afford,’ she carried on
Back in the day: The TV personality shares Zach with her childhood ex Dean, having him a year before she rose to fame in The X Factor (pictured in 2011)
Stacey concluded by saying it was ‘too little too late’ as she touched on the idea of the government rolling out £400 to families as an ‘energy grant’.
The TV personality has previously explained her struggles as a single mum, before rising to fame via The X Factor – and ultimately becoming a mum to her three more children, Leighton, nine, Rex, 24 months and Rose, six months.
Talking to You Magazine back in November, Stacey admitted that abortion was an option she considered – as she felt her life would ‘be over’.
Happy family: Stacey is also mum to son Rex, two, and daughter Rose, five months, who she shares with Joe Swash, alongside Zachary and her son Leighton, nine
But after deciding against giving Zach up, who she shares with childhood ex boyfriend Dean, the birth was less than easy, as the star noted that she felt like she could ‘die any minute’.
‘I’d never had any sort of injury to even slightly prepare me for the pain. When I had Zachary I was still a kid.’
‘I felt vulnerable, like I could die at any point. That played a huge role in the anxieties I had from then up until now, really,’ she told the publication.
Difficult: Talking to You Magazine back in November, Stacey admitted that abortion was an option she considered at the time – as she felt her life would ‘be over’
