Can I ask for a few basic bits of info about single mums and benefits?

[maloney]

Hi, I'm a newcomer to all this, so please bear with me. I'm in the process of breaking up with dp (I have one 3 year dd who will stay with me) and will be moving from SE London to, hopefully, somewhere near to my mum in Norfolk asap. and I don't have a clue how to make this happen financially. I am currently working 2 days a week and would have to give that up - does that mean I cannot claim benefits? What I'm hoping is that I will give up my job, find rented accommodation near to my mum which she can loan me a deposit for and first month's rent but no more (she's retired and alone). Would anyone be likely to offer me a flat on those conditions? Would I get benefits? And finally, what do benefits amount to, roughly, these days?

Thanks so much for any help, I'm very stressed about all of this. Sorry if I sound like a clueless fool, I just don't know where to begin.

[weesaidie]

First off I would say, go to CAB (citizens advice bureau), they will be able to help you with your exact situation, etc.

However I can tell you my situation. I live in a privately rented flat and get all my rent paid. I only have one bedroom but they should pay for two as the council expects you to have a separate room for your child. The reason I have yet to find anywhere bigger as my flat is lovely and it is hard to find people who will happily rent to people on benefits (don't even get me started on that!!). But they are out there. I can get a council flat but it wouldn't be a nice or central as mine.

I get Income support minus the maintenence my exs pays me. Basically they take away whatever you get from your ex (which should be 15% of his income) from the IS except for, wait for it a whole £10!!!

I also get child benefit (same as everyone) and child tax credits....

I am still on the housing list because I'd love to get a housing association house, usually far nice and in better areas than council houses but the waiting lists are extremely long.

It should work out fine, you just have to fill in loads of forms! Also you still get income support if you work 16 or less hours a week... I think.

Thats all I can think of right now! Let me know if you have any questions.

Hope you are doing ok.

[weesaidie]

Oh, I also get council tax benefits, so pay a hugely reduced rate.

[Loobie]

You should still get benefits because even though you have given up work you have a child to support.Benefits you should receive would be income support for yourself and child tax credit and child benefit for your dd.You will be entitled to a council tax rebate and rent rebate,social security will pay private lets up to a certain amount per month,not sure of that amount though.When looking for a flat make sure it is one which accepts dss payments as they dont all.
Right had a quick flick through the dwp website and according to that and including your child benefit you and one child should have £133 a week roughly to live on,then your rent and c.t rebates,you will get free prescitions,milk tokens,glasses,dentist etc.Also whatever maintenance you may get for your dd they will take and give you £10 of it.If you make an appointment with a lone parent advisor in the job centre they can sort things out for you and let you know what you should be getting.

[maloney]

Thanks SO much for this advice. I guess I'll take a chance then and go for a flat and apply for benefits when I'm there then. I'll try to find out what kind of rent rebate I might be entitled to as well. Loobie, which site did you look on?

[Loobie]

go into google and put in department of work and pensions,it gives info and other sites to look at including the inland revenue one for your child tax credit.Other bits i already new due to being a sp myself.

[colditz]

I have worked out from these sites that a single parent will get

Income Support - £56.20
Child Benefit - £17.00
Child Tax Credit £25.00
Mainanance - £10

a grand total of £108.20

what have I worked out wrong? Maths not my forte....

[Apples]

Surely a single mum would also be entitled to Housing Benefit and possibly Council Tax Benefit? I think if you're not working you'd get at least 50% paid for you?

[nightowl]

ok as a single mum not working at the moment i dont pay rent. i dont pay council tax. (will work this out as if i had one child)

i get £56 a week minus whatever maintenance i get from ds's dad apart from a £10 disregard (sp?)...(he pays £20) im left with £10 of what he pays. (so £46 a week).

then child benefit of £17.

my tax credit for two kids is about £83 so im going to say about £40.

£103 in total is that right? plus free prescriptions, dental treatment, milk, and school meals.

a word of warning though...dont expect your claim to go smoothly...its been over two months since i was made redundant and they have only just started paying my benefit this week. [useless emoticon]

[nightowl]

sorry, add £10 to that. not thinking straight

[Loobie]

Its hard to work out the tax credit side of it for the kids,i get for three kids £149 a week,but one of my kids is disabled so i think i get extra somewhere for that not sure where though!!
I just took the figure i got from the dwp website,which said £56.20 for yourself,43.88 for your dd and a lone family premium of £16.10,then your £17 child benefit,but obviously if you claim child tax credit instead of income support for your dd it may be a different amount.
IT really is quite difficult to work out so i would definately make an appoinment with a lone parent advisor to see where you stand and rough amounts you would get.

[ninah]

Similar question, really, but I own my own (v small house) in the South East and am thinking of relocating North so that I reduce my mortgage. However, will owning my own house mean that I can still claim benefits? I work at the mo and am due to go on mat leave in December, so mat leave will carry me through the first bit. I don't see how I can continue to work full-time and pay for childcare for 2 children under school age, though. P will not help.
I have been to CAB, queued for 3 hours and then was told they were closing for the day so any advice from here would be a great start, thank you. :Loobie?
Maloney how are you getting on?

[ninah]

Similar question, really, but I own my own (v small house) in the South East and am thinking of relocating North so that I reduce my mortgage. However, will owning my own house mean that I can still claim benefits? I work at the mo and am due to go on mat leave in December, so mat leave will carry me through the first bit. I don't see how I can continue to work full-time and pay for childcare for 2 children under school age, though. P will not help.
I have been to CAB, queued for 3 hours and then was told they were closing for the day so any advice from here would be a great start, thank you. :Loobie?
Maloney how are you getting on?

[ninah]

Similar question, really, but I own my own (v small house) in the South East and am thinking of relocating North so that I reduce my mortgage. However, will owning my own house mean that I can still claim benefits? I work at the mo and am due to go on mat leave in December, so mat leave will carry me through the first bit. I don't see how I can continue to work full-time and pay for childcare for 2 children under school age, though. P will not help.
I have been to CAB, queued for 3 hours and then was told they were closing for the day so any advice from here would be a great start, thank you. :Loobie?
Maloney how are you getting on?

[ninah]

sorry system slow today

[weesaidie]

Hi ninah, really don't know how it works if you have a mortgage. I would have thought you would still get HB as if you couldn't pay your mortgage on your own you may then have to sell up and apply for a council house - something even harder o get!

Can you make an appointment at your local CAB? Mine opened weird hours so that is what I did.

[ninah]

oh thanks weesaidie!
Well if I can move into less overpriced housing I should have a v small mortgage or that is what I hope, so I might not need housing paid, but I don't want them to take benefits away cos I have my own place. I really don't want to sell up, cos I worked hard to get this far.
No local CAB won't make appointments, you have to show up and wait .. and wait
I will go again when I can face it

[expatinscotland]

Housing benefit is NOT available to pay a mortgage.

A house is considered an asset, and you will be asked when you apply for benefits like income support, etc. whether you rent or own.

Owning a home, however, does not make a difference when it comes to Working Tax and Child Tax Credit, however.

[expatinscotland]

And if your partner will not help, he can and will be compelled to help, b/c it's not fair that the state should have to pay to raise his children just b/c he cannot be bothered.

[weesaidie]

Oops, sorry ninah!

[ninah]

yes, I know, I don't want help with my mortgage ffs expat!
I know about the state's efforts to 'compel' fathers to pay and I have no faith in them, read any lone mum's experience on here, I have to be able to survive on my own

[GeraldGiraffe]

Colditz- that sounds about right but since i am not seeing any maintenance atm
minus £10.

[GeraldGiraffe]

yes unfortunately ninah i really wouldn't hold your breath for any money from the CSA.

[ninah]

GG he's a self employed accountant! if they can't get money by straightforward deductions from payslips I don't stand a change in hell. Of course I will apply and of course 'it's not fair' blah blah but I have to look at what is realistic, unfortunately
And yes, something should be done to get these shits to take responsibility but that's another topic

[GeraldGiraffe]

unfortunately my dd's father is in finance too but i suspect it just makes it easier to slip through loopholes

[ninah]

exactly! the bgrs are trained for it!