Does anyone know what other benefits my sister maybe entitled to?

[Poshpaws]

Hi all

I am posting on behalf of my sis who has had some bad news re the amount of income support she will be getting and any expected back-dated amount (ie, she will not be getting any back-dated amount and the amount of IS awarded was far lower than expected).

She is looking for work at the mo, but was also wondering if there were any benefits that she may be entitled to that she does not know about?

She is already claiming HB and as mentioned earlier IS. Obviously she would rather be working, but with 2 young children at school and nursery and being on very bad terms with her ex, childcare options are very limited and therefore jobs with the hours to suit are proving difficult to find.

Thanks for any advice re benefits or even budgeting tips

[chocolatespiders]

if she was working she would get help with childcare payments....

[misdee]

child tax credits?

[davidtennantsmistress]

does she get maintenance at all? the healthy eating vouchers should apply to her asa well - only £3 per child under 4 per week but it's better than nothing, also has she told TC she's a lone parent - you get approx £45 p.w with that (I do for 1 child.) council Tax benifit as well.

also free prescriptions & eye care as well now she has IS.

[SparklePrincess]

If she works 16 hours a week or more she would get Working Tax Credits & Child Tax Credits. Also possibly housing & council tax benefits. Tax Credits would also cover the costs of 80% of any child care costs she may have to pay out.

[SparklePrincess]

Look on the entitled to website www.entitledto.co.uk

[goingbonkers]

As well as tax creds, Housing ben and council tax ben, if she works 16+ hours per week when she finds a job, she should get the new deal for lone parents. They pay £40 per wk for the first year of employment over 16 hours.

If she doesn't get c tax benefit, check she is claiming her 25% discount for being a single person. (Any single person gets this in my area regardless of income/circumstances)

Has she spoken to her local jobcentre plus? They should be able to advise on entitlements. Tell her to contact a lone parent advisor.

Hope this helps. Good luck to her xx

[davidtennantsmistress]

gb - that only applys if you've been on is for a year, the £40 per week thing, but they do pay £200 towards you rent for the first month and £250 back to work incentive as well from being on IS for 6 months.

[goingbonkers]

That's true, I'd forgotten about that rule. I've just finished the new deal this month. That's a bit of a down side to it as now I have £160/month less income! Eek!

[davidtennantsmistress]

do they pay it weekly or 4 weekly?

[goingbonkers]

The £40 was paid weekly but they may do a four weekly option, I'm not sure. You have to send in your payslips every 3 months to prove you are working 16+ hours. Its called 'In Work Credit' (IWC)

[Poshpaws]

Sorry to have come back to this so late. Thanks everyone for your advice. She is feeling very down at the moment so hopefully this info should help her to see a bright side (sort of).

[gillybean2]

As well as what others have said, she should also get free school dinners for the children while on IS too. Also ask at school for help towards costs of any school trips, music lessons or other after school clubs.

Check with the school if they run a breakfast and/or afterschool club which may help her in having more flexibility in the hours she can work. If they don't do it at the school, find out if they have a pick up from school service to drop directly to an afterschool club at another school. Also contact the local council to find details of local childminders who may drop at school and/or pick up. Also some childminders do night hours and weekend, which can be good if she were to get a job doing shift work or evenings at a supermarket for example. If she can do 3 x 6hours, or even just 2 x8 hours shift, she will be over the 16 hour minimum which WTC and CTC kick in, and them she will get help with childcare costs and still get 4 days at home with the children.

There's also holiday clubs out there which can be like an adventure for the children in the hols, if they're OFSTEAD registered she'll get help with those as well when she's doing 16+ hours.

When she's working and getting WTC she will need to ask about getting an NHS exemption card, which gives free prescriptions, eye test, and help towards glasses/lenses and dental treatment.

CAB can help work out all the figures if it gets confusing and she needs to work out if she's better off working or on IS.

[Tinkerbel6]

Poshpaws your sister should be getting IS for herself, 2 x child tax credits, housing benefit, council tax benefit and healthys tart vouchers, once she is getting all she is entitled too she should be able to live off that easily

[Tinkerbel6]

I meant healthy start not healthys tart

[MsPontipine]

Is she claiming because sshe has recently split up with partner? IS rule used to be if recently seperated IS could be backdated to date of seperation (max 1 month)
Worth checking.