That is must be possible to survive on my low income?

[notabee]

My total income is under £13k (work pt, can't work more due to not great health, plus tax credits etc)
I own my house with a mortgage (about £6k a year) and I have dc but no partner.
There must be a way?
I feel I must be missing something.
I spoke to the cab last year and they didn't think there was any other help.
Every month and getting more and more in debt but I really do try and spend the minimum possible.
How do you get by?
Do you think I should get by?
Aibtu?

[AcheyBakey]

Do NOT base a claim for PIP or ESA on only your worst day - you are allowed good and bad days and periods of fluctuation, but you have to qualify for at least 50% of the time, taken over a period of time.

Only putting down your worst times will make it look as if you are exaggerating and leave yourself open to fraud investigation. Any investigation or surveillance will easily reveal that you don't have a worst day every day and you won't be able to defend yourself. Be honest and accurate, even if it is harder to get through the initial assessment.

[PyongyangKipperbang]

That is crap Achey

Official advice that we got for DS was to assume it was his worst day to make sure that he got the right level of award to be able to provide care for his worst days.

He can often walk to work but when his leg is very painful or his back is in spasm he needs taxis.

[PyongyangKipperbang]

Sorry hit the wrong button......

and we were told that if he doesnt make it clear how bad his bad days are, his award wouldnt take them into account. He will not be investigated for fraud because everything he wrote on the form was true and as long as that is the case then there is no case to answer.

[stayathomegardener]

If you are in education could you offer evening tutoring at home?

[AdoraBell]

Hope you get things sorted with the utilities etc.

I agree withgluteastothemax, don't sell your house.

[user1492232552]

Don't sell the house, it would be the worst day ever.

[BarbaraofSeville]

How much is left on your mortgage and what equity do you have? What interest rate are you paying? Shared ownership using your equity to pay for the rest may be a plan, if it can reduce or eliminate your mortgage.

As soon as I saw your DCs ages, I thought 'the OP is really going to struggle when she loses tax credits for the DCs' and then I saw that it' already happening, which is why you're struggling and only going to get worse when you stop being entitled on behalf of DC2. Then you will be entitled to nothing or very little.

DC1 is the issue. If there are health issues applying for benefits is a priority. Same for you. You either need to work more hours (is a different job a possibility?) or if you can't due to health issues, appeal the benefit claim.

Sorry that it does appear you are in a very hard situation.

[icanteven]

I'm sure you could increase your earnings. You work in a school setting, you say - are you in admin or a TA?

If you sign up on Sitters.co.uk they will "feed" you babysitting jobs every day of the week if you want it, or evening, rather. Can you do that once or twice a week?

Can you type? Write? Are you an Excel whizz? There's £10 an hour (or more) to be made sitting up in bed in your pyjamas doing VA work or article writing. You would have to do the first few jobs for buttons to get some good feedback going on People Per Hour, but once you get moving on it, you can pick up quite a lot of work. I transformed my entire career on that website when we ran out of money a couple of years ago. PM me and I'll talk you through it.

Can you iron? If you have aches and pains this might not be ideal.

Your children also really need to be doing things like babysitting if they want allowances. Or they could be the ones setting up a little freelance business online!

[WomblingThree]

If your 17 year old can't work for specific reasons (which I assume are MH related) you really need to get her into "the system" so to speak.

Apply for PIP, get her registered with any service that can help her, try and get her to further her education even if only by using free online courses. Is she registered with your local careers service? Is there a formally recorded reason why she isn't in education or training, as legally she should be (I'm not asking you to tell everyone the reasons, just checking you have considered this).

As long as she is registered with a careers service, it looks like you should be able to carry on claiming tax credits.

[BarbaraofSeville]

Some great ideas there from icant. Is there anyway you can offer holiday childcare. Who runs the holiday clubs etc?

I know most people who work term time only do so because they want/need to, but for those who don't I always thought that schools/councils could offer work in the holidays in the holiday clubs and this would be a win/win situation. People get more work if they need it and employers and parents get to employ someone that they already know.

[GolyHuacamole]

Just read the whole thread OP and I'm so glad that you now have a plan of action so to speak.

Good luck and work through your list, fingers crossed better times are ahead

[notabee]

Wow! Some really good ideas and advice, thank you all so much for taking the time to reply. I'm sorry I've not replied personally to everyone.
To answer some questions I missed.
It's very complicated regarding my 17yo, there's a social worker now involved and I'm trying to fight the system, it's a thread on its own but I really don't want to out myself.
Love the idea of signing up with sitters, I don't know why it's not occurred to me. I can certainly do that and have dbs and first aid etc.
I used to be a member of unison but I cancelled it last year, it's about £5 per month and I felt I couldn't justify it. Although it's education I work in, my role is quite specific. There's no holiday club although I have been trying to create holiday work. I've created a business plan but to no avail, yet. It's a work in progress but will not be quick.
I currently owe around £3k and growing . I've moved it about to use the 6 months 0% options but I have nothing to pay it off with. I feel stupid for having built it up but it's absolutely not on frivolous things.
I'm not really a writer (and you can probably tell my the amount of mistakes I've made!) although I love that idea.
I'm having a bad day today and I'm in a huge amount of pain that even typing this is hard. I'll keep a diary, good idea, as what I have isn't always the same. I do have a specific diagnosis and a possibility of another to go on top (watch and wait).
I'll look at Young carers for dc2, thank you.
I really can't thank you all enough, I actually feel I may be able to change this. Thank you also for not blaming me, I know you've said I haven't failed but I really do feel that way.
You lot rock!

[notabee]

Oh and btw, I've checked entitled to and it says I don't receive the right tax credits. Combined both should equal £527 according to them! You were absolutely right. Thanks.
Another call to make on Monday!

[MatildaTheCat]

CAB were quite exceptionally helpful to me in appealing my PIP decision. Make an appointment and take as much evidence as possible along so they can assess whether they can help. Although I'd filled in numerous forms and nought I knew the correct wording etc they did it better.

Good luck with it all you sound fantastic.

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

Karma you are talking rubbish - have you read anyone else's posts?

If you ask your current lender about switching to a new rate because you're on SVR (which it sounds like OP is as she's not remortgaged in ages) she can ask what the process is, say thanks she'll have a think and come back to them. You seem to think they would treat this as suspicious and put some sort of marker on her account which will not happen.

Also why would an IFA be any better? They work on commission so they may make up some guff to go with the lender that suits them the best rather than their customer plus you pay them!

I do work for a major high street lender in the mortgages dept so this isn't all shit - I've been through it personally and I work in the environment.

Just ask your lender about the process to switch to a better rate. Have a look online first.

[UppityHumpty]

Your kids if over 16 need to find a way to contribute. You need something for board etc. Can they get part time work?

[TrollMummy]

If you haven't looked at your mortgage for that long than I would definitely say to speak to your current lender about a rate switch and/ or extension to the term maybe to bring the rate down. As far as I'm aware they will not do affordability checks unless you change lenders or want to borrow more.

[onceyoupop]

Sorry if cross posting but... Do everything in your power to keep your house. It is long term stability for you. Definitely explore a cheaper rate. This could easily save £100-200 a month.
Also consider lengthening the term to reduce payments. If I were you I would move in to the single room, get the boys to share and rent out the spare double. I would use the rental income to overpay a little on the mortgage too. Ring London and Country as they are great.

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

I get they have more options but if OP has equity in the property and doesn't want to borrow more money, why would asking about a rate switch make her lender think she can't afford it? They're all about retaining current business and they've got no reason to believe the can't afford it.

I'm not saying she may not need independent advice. I'm saying, starting off with her current lender when all she may need is a rate switch is the best course of action.

I've remortgaged elsewhere for a better rate as well so I do understand that.

[Pansiesandredrosesandmarigolds]

Credit unions?

[RueDeDay]

I think you have already found this out but just for clarity I work term time only and I get tax credits... They ask how many hours you usually work, for you that's 16... You will definitely get something.

[User2468]

So a search for a cheaper utility provider, we saved £350 a year going from British Gas to Flow Energy. We're pretty sensible with both so it was a surprise we could save that much.

Children are old enough to earn their own spends. Also old enough to be sat down and told that you're struggling.

Can you use car less? That sounds like a very high fuel bill, assuming you have an ordinary car. Bus pass? Bike?

[CopperRose]

I might have missed it, but do you get any help with water rates?

I have a capped amount for the year, so I don't pay anything over that amount.

I'd get it anyway as I have crohn's, but I am also entitled to it as a low income, single parent.
(Think it's the child tax credits that trigger entitlement).

Worth a phone call to find out if you can save some money there.