To think the benefit cap is going to plunge families into poverty

[Firsttheworst]

Next month the benefit cap comes in. It sets out the maximum that can be claimed in a week across all benefits. This doesn't include disability or wtc. Its aimed purely at women (mostly) claiming income support. You can only claim income support if you have a child under 5 and don't work.

The benefit cap is in the government owns words designed to get IS claimants out to work. The cap is currently £500 and will be reduced to £384 a week.

This includes, housing benefit, CT benefit, tax credits, income support. So all in total cannot be more than £384 a week. Over a 30 day month that comes to £1645.

From that £1645 I need to pay

rent £900 a month (no I can't move, its impossible to rent on benefits as it is, not giving this house up and its below market rent as it is)

CT - £60 a month

Electricity £80

Oil £80

Diesel £ 120 (rural don't drive anywhere other than school runs and supermarket/town once or twice a week)

Car insurance £49

Car tax £19.99

Phone/internet £40 (thats a basic mobile and broadband)

House insurance £13

TV licence £11

That leaves 272 a month to pay for food, clothes, car breakdown, school trips, birthdays, miscellaneous and god knows what else. For one adult and 3 children.

AIBU to think that the government have just decided that if they starve us out for long enough we'll be forced to go out and find a job? Like I said rural area so jobs are rarer than hens teeth and believe me i'm looking. It is pure discrimination against single mothers with small children (i doubt many men claim income support)

yes, the people going on about how if he's not paying maintenance then she can jolly well move away from him and he can deal with long distance visits are clearly not very knowledgeable about this type of thing.

You can't deny the father access simply because he isn't paying maintenance. He is still legally their father. And maddening as the non-payment of maintenance is, the father could still haul her into court and prevent her from moving even if he paid nothing.

They are not paying her to go to university my friend had problems with them they stopped paying her. At one point they stopped HB and JSA its not as easy as that she has to be work ready.

I was commenting on Pissssedoff post.

Yabvu, op and you know it.

We pay £75pm for gas & electric and £23pm for broadband/homephone/tv package. Could you not get sign up to delivery saver for your weekly groceries? It costs just £3pm for week day deliveries. Iceland offer free delivery for orders over £25.

Is there an extra special reason why you can't walk to school & back each day?

Sunshine you can't get jsa and go to uni ... You get grants instead which is a considerable amount more money. I'm tired now, I've provided the links you all clearly know better so crack on

Erm... Sorry, I am struggling to be that sympathetic as I have a PhD, work at a top 15 ranked university and receive the same as you after tax! And I have had 10 years of graduate education, when I was taking home as little as £15k per year whilst racking up debt... And I live in the south where my job is, so rent etc is eye watering!

You'll have to pursue the DC dad for more help or move house. You can live in the Middlesbrough area for £400 per month private rental for a decent 3 bed semi with garden and the job market isn't too bad there either.

If your ex is not paying anything towards his children, you need to restrict access until he does.

Pisssed off why do you assume her ex is going to help her?
Or that the CMS is going to make him pay more?
The cms does nothing and can't make NRP pay
Research the statistics of what NRP actually pay.

CMS is very effective in my experience, brilliant in fact ... Others have had different experience mind was that they were amazing.

If your ex is not paying anything towards his children, you need to restrict access until he does.

You cannot legally do this. People need to stop giving this advice out. The children have a right to see their father, regardless of whether or not he pays maintenance. Maintenance and contact are two separate issues.

Children are not "pay per view."

You have to fight fire with fire gingerivy
You can't legally not pay child support either and yet it seems many do just that

I don't think it's reasonable to complain at getting so much money when nurses and other staff earn less. Otherwise those low paid workers are subsidising you.

FirsttheWorst I've never claimed anything and it wouldn't cross my mind to because why would I? I work FT. I'd assume that i'd be better off than people on benefits and would rather the money I could 'claim' be shared amongst those in more need.

But I keep finding that they seem to earn more than I do.

No, you don't "fight fire with fire" in that regard.

FFS.

That's not how it works in reality, is it though, Ginger? I'm not saying it's right but plenty of single mums do it.

Well that's up to you gingerivy but then my ex did everything I wanted so clearly my way works 😁

Pissed off I'm glad CMS worked for you but for the majority of single parents it doesn't.
NRP can choose not to pay for their children and mess about not seeing children at agreed times and nothing is done but a single parent does not have this choice

OP, wrt to housing, I am with you on that one. This government is set to build hundreds of thousands of new houses in the forthcoming years that we'll never be able to afford to buy.

My poor friend was nearly homeless with 2 children and you end it with crack on. They stopped paying her housing benefit the grant didn't come quick enough. After 1 year of studying she had to go and find a job studying and looking after children got to her in the end. The bills were mounting up.

Its not unachievable but you could study with the open university their degrees are good.

So as I e said lots of times in that situation Xmas you give him the kids

That doesn't make it right. And it's not good advice. If she refused contact based on nonpayment of child maintenance, she will look obstructive to the court and could cause her all sorts of problems. Not to mention that you don't use children as weapons to fight battles. FFS, people. I repeat, CHILDREN ARE NOT "PAY PER VIEW!"

eatsleephockeyrepeat
You're posts on this thread have been excellent
Welshgirl well said
OP you have my complete sympathy, it really is ideological bullshit, it won't work in the countries favour in the long run, and I didn't and won't vote for it.
And to the poster up thread who stated they wouldn't be in this position as her DH would 'do the decent thing and pay for his DC', yup that's what they all say. I sincerely hope you never get a horrible shock.

Sunshine the grant didn't come through because you're friend stuffed up the paperwork - mines never been a day late - because when the roof over your kids head relies on it you get the paperwork in, correct and on time.

That's just your opinion Ginger

ginger if he's not paying do you you seriously think he'll take her to court - it costs £590 to get a hearing