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Appeal to get everyone to contact their MP

9 replies

LonelySingleMummy · 26/08/2008 22:34

Appeal to get everyone to contact their MP about lone working parents and their rights and lack of help.

Find Your MP: findyourmp.parliament.uk/commons/l/

Sample email or write your own

Dear

I am writing to you, as my MP, to appeal for your support in demanding more support for working parents and in particular for lone parents who have to work to support their family.

Being a lone parent is difficult but the rewards far far outweigh the stress and pressure experienced. Most receive SMP when on maternity leave, and have to wait many months before child benefit and tax credits are finally awarded. They therefore live on less than £120 pw. This is impossible for a grown adult with bills and a mortgage let alone a pregnant woman then new mother.

Once SMP stops they would receive just Income Support or JSA, and all tax credits would stop. This leaves hardly anything to live on each week!

None of this, in my opinion, is good enough. I agree that there are far too many people who do work the system and who could work but don't, but I am neither. Mothers do not have the opportunity to be full time mothers if they wanted to, and either way cannot make ends meet.

Please do consider your own circumstances in this kind of situation. We exist with just the basics, with no little luxuries many take for granted and no social time to over ride the stress and strain. These are sacrifices we have accepted but this does not mean it is right. We have cried with despair at our circumstances, at the fact that our children have second hand toys and clothes, yet lone parents are firmly accused of being a blight on the British economy.

Thanking you in advance for reading my email.

(Your name and address)

OP posts:
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Elasticwoman · 27/08/2008 20:56

There is no mention in this letter of the father of the child(ren) contributing financially. Takes 2 to tango.

In some cases perhaps the father cannot be found, but in general should the taxpayer really sub every feckless male who doesn't support his own children and their mother?

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shelleylou · 27/08/2008 21:06

some fathers just dont send back the CSA forms and have a crappy pay roll department at work who also dont send them back.

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shelleylou · 27/08/2008 21:07

tax credits dont stop. Personally i didnt recieve them till SMA ceased

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SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 27/08/2008 21:11

elasticwoman the csa is a load of balls. so why should the mother who has been left have to survive on nothing because the csa cannot pull out thier finger and get the father to pay up and the tax payers dont want to help because it is not their problem.

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MrsSnorty · 27/08/2008 21:28

Ooh - I'm currently on IS and still getting child tax credit. Is this right? Don't want a nasty letter from them wanting the money back!

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SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 27/08/2008 21:29

yes you still get ctc.

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MrsSnorty · 27/08/2008 22:05

Thank you (phew!)

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Elasticwoman · 28/08/2008 08:49

The tax payer IS interested in trying to combat child poverty, but at the same time doesn't want fathers to be able to shrug off their financial responsibilities. It's a difficult one.

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treaclepudd · 28/08/2008 21:52

hi lonelysinglemummy, i did write to my MP already-i got a csa booklett in return, merely reiterating the rules and proceedures they believe to be right and fair!!
if you fancy a 'campaign'- happy to talk!

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