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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think i will have too much money on benefits.

325 replies

5toocoolforschool · 23/09/2014 12:07

OK so dh and i have split up.He is staying with a friend and is finding somewhere else to live.We have 5 children.He is a relatively high earner and i have always been at home with the kids.

I have applied for everything i am entitled to (income support,child tax credits,child benefit,housing benefit, i will not have to pay any council tax- was not entitled to any of these before)

On top of this i will be receiving maintenance from Ex.

All in i will be receiving £3,300 per month!

That is only a couple of hundred less than dh gets paid.

I am porting this partly because i am sure i have missed something,should i not be getting maintenance from dh as well?Everywhere i have looked says i can.

Partly,i just think its bad.I mean i wont be claiming these forever,i have been accepted on a course (again which i wont have to pay for,which i will be given a grant for childcare)and after that i will be working again,so 3 years max.

But now i can see how easy it must be for someone to just see this as a lifestyle.

OP posts:
EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 23/09/2014 16:12

The benefit cap is in place everywhere. You won't get more than £500 a week all in. Perhaps your H will be providing the other £1100? If so, count yourself lucky. Many LPs don't get any, £10 a week, sporadic. If you don't need the benefits, don't claim them.

MyFairyKing · 23/09/2014 16:16

Can I clarify, will you have any childcare to pay for?

Original poster
5toocoolforschool · 23/09/2014 16:16

And yes i am the home school lady!

They are at school now and enjoying it!

OP posts:
rainbowinmyroom · 23/09/2014 16:17

I would look at something more lucrative than hair dressing.

Original poster
5toocoolforschool · 23/09/2014 16:17

Just the after school club which only works out at about 40 a week.The breakfast club is free.

OP posts:
furcoatbigknickers · 23/09/2014 16:17

I'm glad to hear your dcs are happy at school... Your well rid there.

Original poster
5toocoolforschool · 23/09/2014 16:17

rainbow did you mean to be so rude?

OP posts:
furcoatbigknickers · 23/09/2014 16:20

Actually rainbow, working fir yourself as a hairdresser/beautican you can make a really good living.

Original poster
5toocoolforschool · 23/09/2014 16:22

Well its what i enjoy,so if im going to spend the next god knows how many years of my life working then i would like it to be something i enjoy doing.

OP posts:
rainbowinmyroom · 23/09/2014 16:22

Realism is rude. Okay. Six mouths to feed, plus childcare, lessons, uni, all sorts. Hairdressers are 10p a dozen.

chocolatespiders · 23/09/2014 16:23

How many bedrooms is the house and how old are your children? They may be expected to share so you may not get full rent paid

KellyElly · 23/09/2014 16:24

Kelly elly i don’t know what world you live in The world I live in is as a single working parent who struggles and finds your comments about 'lifestyle choice' a fucking piss take.

MyFairyKing · 23/09/2014 16:25

I've never heard of a course that will provide free childcare. Is this a scheme? As for £40 per week for 3 children....I need to move where you are!

ouryve · 23/09/2014 16:27

Have you declared any extra reception rooms? Some councils count a separate dining room as a bedroom for HB purposes. That's something to ask about if you do make an appointment with the CAB, if that would potentially affect you.

JockTamsonsBairns · 23/09/2014 16:34

I can't figure out in what way you would be entitled to a 4-bed house with the council. It would be one bed for you, one for the boys and one for the girls surely?

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 23/09/2014 16:35

Don't belieeeeve you! Smile

IgnoreMeEveryOtherFuckerDoes · 23/09/2014 16:37

I don't get the 4bedroom thing either unless you have kids older than 16?

morethanpotatoprints · 23/09/2014 16:45

Rainbow

Why would the OP have to pay for her dc uni costs Shock it ain't compulsory like school. Could you tell me what all sorts are, apart from the liquorice ones Grin

I think hair dressing is very commendable OP and I agree if you have to work, you need to enjoy what you do.

The benefits sound about right to me, you will need that money even though it may seem a lot now.

I thought that hb was for people who rented not owned their own home?

CherryAmes · 23/09/2014 16:48

Under LHA rules the OP is entitled to HB for a 4 bedroom home even if all her children are aged 9 or under. Think some people are confusing LHA (HB for private renting) with allocation of Social Housing.

ilovechristmas1 · 23/09/2014 16:50

wow some not so nice comments on here

so she should count herself lucky to get maintanance,no she or her kids should not (she hasent even got it yet)

telling her,her training thus job is not worth while

brilliant the op has 5 kids to look after on her own (mostly)her relationship has ended,she will probably be worse of financially and support wise

she has come her for advice and support and is trying to secure her familys future,a little less picking over her position would be helpful

cindydog · 23/09/2014 16:53

Hubby might be promising maintainence payments now but wait until he meets a new woman and perhaps has more kids.Could be a different story then.

Whiskwarrior · 23/09/2014 16:55

What's the point of this thread, OP?

Other than to provide the DM frothers with more ammunition to use towards the 'benefits scroungers'?

Good for you. Well done. Gosh, you've done so well.

I'm a single parent on benefits (and part-time work). I have three kids. Maintenance is sporadic and is certainly nowhere near the amount you're going to get. It's bloody hard and we have very little money to live on each month. Since starting work I've had my benefits sanctioned three times. I have double the paperwork for the job centre (for a measly £26 per week) and they still manage to make me feel worthless and like shit every time I attend.

You've been very, very lucky but you're making the rest of us look and feel like crap.

Again, what's the point of this thread? Hmm

Original poster
5toocoolforschool · 23/09/2014 16:58

cindydog im guessing thats from experience else you wouldnt sound so bitter.

OP posts:
sashh · 23/09/2014 16:59

Please tell us what this free course is.

Are you sure you are entitled to more than a 3 bedroom allowance?

Don't forget everyone has to pay some council tax now.

And personally I just don't believe you.

It appears that the rules that normally apply to 100% of claimants don't apply to you.

Have you factored in HB being paid 4 weeks in arrears? If you have applied today it won't be processed for a while. possibly 2 weeks and then the claim will not be paid until the end of October.

Does your landlord accept HB tenants? It doesn't matter how long you have been there or how good a tenant you are if the landlord doesn't allow HB tenants then you are in breach of your tenancy.

Also is the tenancy in your name? If it is in joint names then you cannot claim for the whole rent.

Have you declared any savings?

springlamb · 23/09/2014 17:03

Fiddler you must REGISTER for Carer's, even if you don't claim it. Depending on your age, you'll need 38 years NI credits to get full state pension. And by golly, we shall need our pension. I'm 20 years off but I tell you after all this caring I'm ready for it tomorrow!

What is really unjust for Carer's (I know the thread isn't about this, but anyway...) is that there is no sliding scale of earnings. You go over that £103 earnings limit and that's it. Even though you're still doing the same amount of caring. So a career who could earn £120 a week whilst the caree (?) is at school or at respite, will be over £40 a week worse off. And the hours needed to earn the £160 a week to even yourself out are likely to conflict with your caring duties. This is where a sliding scale would be helpful.