Help needed re Benefits, please!

[BrownSuga]

I've posted under legal as well.

A friend is trying to find out benefits she may be entitled to. She will be single with 2 early teens. She is a citizen, but has only been here a short while. She is going to the CAB later, but what kind of things should she ask about.

She has legal aid, but as her children are here on visas, she can't get legal aid for them, are there agencies she can go to for help with that?

Are there emergency benefits she can get, as her H has all the family money in acct in his name only, she has no idea how much, or where it is even (could be offshore), and has no income herself? I don't know if she has money right now to feed them this week and pay bills (will call her this arvo to talk that thru with her)

Can she get counselling for the children through any agencies out there, bit of a horror story for them, and feel they really need some help?

She knows about child benefit, housing benefit, what other help can she look into getting? She is not employed but is looking for work.

Is there anything else we can do. We've offered her practical help in terms of housing/car etc... but feel a bit useless.

Would appreciate any advice, thanks

[alittleone2]

Message withdrawn

[shelleylou]

i think alittleone2 is referiong to a crisis loan this will be issued if there is a risk to health etc of you or a family memeber so you have to explain what could happen if they dont give you the loan.

[BrownSuga]

ok thankyou.

re the counselling, physical abuse. their DM suffered at the hands of her H in the past, however he has now assaulted his children, and was arrested this week. i won't speculate on other things, but their DM suspects the worst.