To feel penalised for being a single parent.

[trappedinsuburbia]

Ok, I am single and have 2 dc, I am currently on maternity leave and am taking the additional 3 months unpaid and I have claimed income support for 1 month to cover this period. I am going back to work in less than 2 weeks to will have claimed for 6 weeks altogether.

So far whilst being on maternity leave I have had tax credits request all bank statements, wage slips etc, no probs off they went, all fine.

When I first claimed income support, before I even knew if it had been awarded or not, I had a home visit from someone from benefits, again all fine, I could only show what bank statements etc I had as the others were with the people at income support, the person visiting confirmed that I was to receive income support.

Comes in yesterday and there is a letter waiting for me telling me to attend an interview at the jobcentre to check my entitlement to benefits and to bring these magical fucking bank statements.

AIBU to be getting a little tired of this and think its getting a bit intrusive. Is this normal!!

Of course i'll go and produce said bank statements from months before I even claimed so they can see i've spirited my millions away into an off shore account !!

I amazed it is possible to claim income support whilst on the three months unpaid ML! I can understand it is a total faff to have to send this and that everywhere however.

Eh? People claim benefits whilst on mat leave?

Yes, I have no income during the period, it is allowed !!

What has this got to do with you being a single parent?

Well I wouldn't have to claim benefits if I wasn't a single parent!!
Can anyone get to the original question.

Um lots of people claim benefits that are in a couple?

Yes it's normal, but I don't think it has anything to do with you being a single parent

And of course it's intrusive, they want to make sure you aren't claiming fraudulently. If you want to claim the money you need to play the game. Annoying. yes. intrusive. yes. But normal? Also yes.

I think anyone who claims benefits has to do this, single or not.

Do you think couples who claim benefits don't have to provide proof of circumstances then OP?

How are you being penalised exactly?! Of course they're going to check; it's quite common.

Nothing to do with being a single parent whatsoever; couples who claim benefits are checked just the same!

Yes it's normal... And yes, it should happen. Why do you expect to be given money with out proving you need it?

I think they would probably ask for same if you were in a couple.
Congrats on new baby.

Get the father of children to pay up???

I don't think you are being penalised for being a single parent; you seem to be having the same treatment as someone who is in a couple.
Are you trying to say that you should receive different treatment for being single? And by not having different treatment, you are being penalised?

But i have proved i need it, repeatedly.
Is it normal to have to prove it so much in such a short period, really?
I guess thats what im asking.

Kilmur, i'll give you his address and you can see if you can get any money out of him.

I think you're being penalised for being poor, rather than being a single parent.

Don't you know that anyone who claims benefits is responsible for their own poverty and if they'd just been cleverer/harder working they wouldn't need to claim. A benefit claimant is by virtue of that fact automatically feckless and untrustworthy.

Yabu because it has fuck all to do unity being a single parent and everything to so with ensuring you aren't trying to fraudulently claim benefits.

I assume that is the original question you want people to answer seeing as it is the one in your thread title.

When we were on tax credits as a couple we never had to produce anything.

Ive only had to do that when claiming income support.

Yes it is normal to have to prove it to this extent. You are not being penalised for being a single parent but because you are claiming benefits.

Thanks Dahlen, I noted the sarcasm lol.
Wow, it seems a bit extreme for 6 weeks, thank goodness im back to work soon!!!
I guess it makes no difference then single or couple, it seems it is the norm!

Sounds fairly reasonable to me, and I can't see why you should think this wouldn't be done if you were part of a couple. Not all couples can afford for a parent to take unpaid parental leave, and if you want the support, proving that you need it shouldn't be too burdensome.

I think its normal when claiming income support

But its the same information im showing again and again, just to different people.

This time, ive to take the last 3 months bank statements, these were sent away when I claimed income support, so already been seen and no doubt scrutinized, the most up to date was the man that came to the house and a few weeks on im taking the same stuff, plus one more up to date statement to this interview.

It all seems a bit extreme, I didnt realise it was normal, thats why I thought I was being penalised. Unfortunately I really need the money or believe me I wouldn't be claiming.