Mumsnet Talk

Today I ended up in tears at the C/Tax office After being a carer for my DD who is severely disabled with Cerebral Palsy for the past 20 yrs I have returned to work a year ago working 2 jobs (total fluke) and bringing 1 job £500 pcm and £400 pcm on 2nd job. My IS stopped as did my carers allowance because i earn £100 per week C/T and H/B after paying full rent with water rates £500 per month this left me £600 (with DLA) a month to live on..minus phone bill £100 (I ring alot of hospitals) bank loan of £70 a month and gas n electric= gas £10 a day and electric £6 (extra heating and electric for my daughter)and other DDs I am left with less than £200 a month to live on. I cannot apply for work tax cred because my daughter is 21 and even though I've now had to give up 1 job (i get £500) with remaining job because i work 20 hours (as paid carer) i cannot get any help! Today I just broke down and cried after applying for C/T AND H/B because they say theres an overpayment and i own H/B £2000 My partner supports my DD while I work so he cannot work full time while I do my 20 hour job. I just feel backed into a corner by simply going back to work, naively thinking that the Government wants to 'help' people/carers back to work...every door is closing and its effecting my health. Cant live on benefits...cant live and work!.
I don't want my daughter feeling like a liability but at the same time life is getting so stressful. But I don't want to give up my remaining job but the house is so cold and we can barely afford to eat.
Sorry for the long post but I just dont know where to turn CAB misinformed us and told us we could apply for WTCredit but when i rang them they said no (because of DDs age).

I am sorry to hear that your family is in such distress.

Is your daughter as a 21 year old entitled to any extra financial help?

I would hope you could get a mobile phone contract for less than £100/month for lots of minutes calls free - have you looked into it?

salsmum (((hugs)))

I would advise you to go to your MP explain your extremely difficult situation and ask them to write to HB re their mistake! Hopefully it will get reduced or stopped!
With Water you can apply to pay a fee of certain amount as your dd is getting DLA.