Poverty trap? What to do

[Duckingfun]

I’m on benefits due to having a disabled child who currently isn’t in school.
I want to work, when he’s at a suitable school I will be looking for work. However my rent has now increased in my council house to just under £1k there is no way I can afford it if I work. The better off website says I will be something like £90 a month better off, I want to work but I don’t want to work 40+ hours a week for £90 and then I’d be worse off after travel/childcare etc
Whats the answer? I can’t move and it just feels so unfair that the council raise the rent to the top limit of what they can.

This

Are you claiming DLA for your child?
Are you the only adult in the property? If so claim 25% discount on your council tax.
Are you on a water meter? If you're not it might work out cheaper. If get water saving devices from your water company then it will help too. If your DC uses more water as a result of their condition then look at social tariffs.

Echoing previous posters and wouldn't burn myself out for such a small amount with a disabled child and agree think long term! Is there anything you fancied doing? Maybe some PT studying?

I'd say it's a shame your rent has gone up but you are getting a much better deal than most. I believe everyone should have access to social housing and don't begrudge you it one bit. It's a case of taking extra work or sadly sucking up the cost. Are there any other benefits you might be able to claim that you haven't already? Going private you'd be paying double probably.

Going to pop the frothing bubble from folks on here who thinks SH is free this like. What will they be able to twist about now?

@Duckingfun I'm also a carer for a child on higher rate disability.
I've not been a decent employee since I've had him, I've tried but school/s can't always cope with dc so I have to leave mid shift to pick him up, sen schools will send a child home over a sneeze ime. This has made employing me really unfair on my colleagues.
I can't work night shifts because I'd never get to sleep in the day between school runs for different schools and dealing with the things that go hand in hand with a sen child. My DS isn't able to attend a child minder nor would an after school club be suitable, we tried and it was catastrophic for him.
I've been looking at starting an etsy shop when I'm in a better place, but actual employment I'm just not able to commit to a job.
I advise you to wait and see if you're going to be up and down the school like a yoyo, before you make decisions. Good luck x

And people think private LL charge too much!

This is excellent advice OP. Try to do this.

You'll get 'carers element' instead of carers allowance as part of your UC payment. As well as the disabled child element. As pp have said UC disregard the first 300 or so of your earnings then deduct on a sliding scale.

If you decide to become self employed, you get a year's start up period where they do not take anything from your benefits. You will always be better off in work, financially amd mentally 💐

I completely see where you're coming from and I'm sure there are many who would do the same but unfortunately if you can work, then you should. I'm sorry if I sound harsh ( I promise It's not intended) but if every body decided to not work because they would 'only' be £90 off, we'd be in a bit of a pickle. I'm currently doing two jobs 😥

Anyway as I say I'm not bashing but that's just what comes into my head when I read your post x

Sod working OP. You already have a full time job with your child, I can't see anyway you could manage 40 hours a week on top.

Have you looked at studying part-time with the Open University? They do have some financial help but I'm not that clued up.

Thank you, ds is 14 and I’ve tried volunteer work over the years but he’s never been at a school long enough and I end up having to go and get him anyway. I’m hoping for a new special school to be our salvation really.
for pp saying I’d be choosing to stay home, if ds is in school full time I am still doing a full time job after school and nights, it’s quite demanding, I want to work but it’s not as easy as that.
also I do feel fortunate to have this house but it came about after being heavily pregnant in a refuge with disabled ds, I understand how difficult it is to get housing.

Wow your rent is an outrage i live in a 2 bed HA flat for 400 a month.

@tryingtogetinshape It really depends where the house is!!! Desirable areas in London might well be this but private rent would be triple. So it’s completely down to HA, area and age of property. If HAs don’t make some money, where do more houses come from? How many tenants are actually paying the rent themselves anyway? It’s a complicated situation.

Tell me you don't have a disabled child without telling me you don't have a disabled child

You could try to find a job earning no more than £139 a week if it’s paid weekly or £602.33 if it’s paid monthly and that way you’re still able to claim carers allowance. It’s worth taking into consideration that carers allowance counts as unearned income so is deducted pound for pound straight from your overall UC award. Or you could stop claiming carers allowance and work school hours and still be a carer during outside school hours and weekends. To put this into perspective by comparison you could work for approx 7.5 hours a week minimum wage and earn what you receive in carers allowance but still keep 45% of that wage in universal credit. You don’t have to receive carers allowance to be awarded the carers element of universal credit and still be a lot better off just working school hours.

Can you do some cash in hand type businesses like cleaning or selling home made food/cakes?

Sell stuff on eBay
sell on Facebook marketplace.
grow plants from seed and sell
cash in hand Tutoring
dog sitting/ dog wallking

You work harder than most people. You are probably quite burnt out. Look after yourself. A 10-2 term time only contract where they don’t mind if you need to be off with your son when he can’t go to school would be great, after a period of rest and recovery for yourself, for the sake of your health. And if such a job doesn’t come along, something self employed or some training or whatever - but have a good rest first. You matter too.

edited to say, sorry, I was reacting to pp saying you should work. Of course you posted because you need money, you weren’t agonising over being on benefits (quite rightly). I hope you can find something/some help towards living costs.

Some good advice on the thread.

I’d add having a long-term plan. The children will become non-dependents and your allowances are reduced, non-dependent deductions are being taken from your entitlement, and you find yourself with a whole new struggle.

Will you want him to spend his disability income plugging the financial gap instead of using it for activities that aid him in leading a better quality life?

Is his disability such that he may still be able to lead an independent life away from you when the time comes? If yes, you’ll also be facing the bedroom tax deduction.

There are many things to consider beyond the here and now, and if there is any way to alleviate future struggle or being further trapped, think on those too.

OP has updated it's not £1k for rent it's £800. She thinks this will increase in April.

It was a previous poster who has said that about her rent. My rent is just under 1k

Wow where do you live?
Is it possible to relocate?
I am in Wales and rent is as low as £450 for a 2 bed town house.
I knew not ideal but that is the situation we are all in these days.

Where do you live OP?

It sounds like you've chosen a very expensive area, and this isn't aligned with choosing not to work.

Your child isn't in school. You don't work at all. You have no commitments to the area. You need to move to somewhere you can afford, not complain you can't afford somewhere when you don't work at all.

Tax evasion and benefit fraud won't help the OP in the long term.

We were placed in a refuge in this area, not my choice at all. I’d rather not uproot the children again and we’re close to the hospital they both go to regularly. I think long term I will move but I don’t know when that could be.
dd has disabilities but is currently in nursery and hopefully will go to school, ds is older and disabled but we haven’t found a school that will take him.
I live in Norfolk