I have the kind of family that many people think shouldn't need extra help from the Government

[MogadoredMemoo]

I would like somebody to tell me how we can reduce our outgoings. We are the kind of family who people seem to think shouldn't need any financial help from the government. there seems to be an attitude that we just need to tighten our belts a bit. So I am really interested in how people think we will manage if out tax credits are cut.

Dh earns just under 25K. I really seriously cannot at the moment due to health problems.

We currently get £80 a week in TC and this helps us keep our head above water. But under the new system it looks like we wont get it any more.

So with DH salary and CB we have a monthly income £1772.00

Mortgage £700
Council tax £83
Car Insurance £58
Gas £60
Elec £80
Maintenance for DSD's £250
Petrol £200
Contents and Buildings ins 67.00
other bits ie TV licence, broad band phone, pet insurance £100
Nappies £20

That would then leave us just £154 each month to clothe and feed 3DC and to feed 2 dsd's.

How are we suppose to manage on that? I'm not saying that we should just be given hand outs but why can't the government do other things to help like keeping petrol cost lower. we just about managing at the moment but we are going to be in shit if these cuts go ahead. We will end up losing our home.

Even worse I suspect there are thousands of families like us out there. The ones trapped in the middle, not earning enough to survive but earning too much to get any help.

Ok got into the multiplying by 4 thing. Its £80 a month by DD.

Ahh that sounds more like it!!

wow namechange your gross annual income is £27,624.99

took your monthy income as £1,750 and put it into a required UK income calculator

love the 99p

isn't that ridiculous that you can have a gross income of almost £28k for doing nothing?

It is really wrong.

What I'm curious about is what happened pre tax credits if I'm correct income would have been over 600 pounds less?

yes and with £7200pa less coming in perhaps she would have got a job. or had fewer children.

Freshmint, do you think im not working because I don't want to. Trust me if I could get childcare for 3 under 2 then I would. I was married, was comfortably well off and had a job but after getting beaten at least a couple times a week I decided id had enough. And if I was working I would get childcare help and would more than likely still get some housing benefit. I don't get income support because my ex pays for his children so I would end up taking more money from the government that what I do now.

But this isn't about me. I was agreeing that its shocking that I get more money than the op when I don't work but me working would cost an extra £2259 just for childcare

Part of the problem is that these benefits are still paid regardless of maintenance. So namechange gets £440 a month in maintenance, yet is still receiving all the govt handouts for being a single parent

I can't afford any more children because of the childcare cost, and I would be classed as a 'high' earner

sorry name I debated about posting and didn't mean this to become a thread about your income
I was actually trying to support you

we do have a crazy situation currently I worked out that under my partic circs I would get more on benefits than I do by working that was gross not after tax or costs childcare etc off course there is also the undefinable benefit of spending time with my children raising them exactly as I want

whilst I don't think I'm paid enough would like more and can't afford a house without a 50% drop in prices I'm by no means poorly paid

Namechanges - don't you get Income Support as well? I have similar circs (but only 2 kids) but I can get IS even with maintenance because they don't count it any more.

OP not sure if you're still watching this but if it does get really bad don't forget that you might be able to get help with the mortgage at least for a while, see here

www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_180321

I'm hoping you'll find a way round this. Lots of good tips here that I could use too. good luck.

No I don't get IS I didn't apply for it because I don't need it. I didn't need to use childcare when i was married because between exH, myself and his family there was always somebody there. But when we split the help and support disappeared so I was left alone. I didn't choose 3 children but with twins it cant be helped (not that I would change things now). The twins are nearly a year old and my DS is nearly 3.

She doesn't qualify for help with mortgage.

Namechange. You never know when the extra money would be useful. Claim it and save if for childrens future!

I thought you got support for mortgage interest if you were on ESA? That's also what the website seems to suggest.

I just thought it would be good to know if it all got really serious - I find all the 'sell the house, rent' points less than helpful, but everyone has their own point of view.

She would need to be on income based ESA to qualify. As her partner works more than 24hrs a week she would qualify for income based just contribution based ESA (depending on her NI contributions in the revelant income tax years)

I'm not convinced that selling house is best way forward either.

Can I suggest as with others that selling your home is not the way forward - have you thought about mortgage renegotiation?

Hi
Try to see if you can claim DLA. I did (mental health)and the process was fairly straight forward. x