income support

[jozanna]

hi can anyone tell me if i would be entitled to any benefits once me and my husband have seperated, i foster two girls and have a 15 year old son thanks x

Subject to income/capital considerations, and the ages of the children, yes.

I think it's job seekers allowance once your children reach a certain age, not income support. Have a look on entitledto.com

Its job seekers if your children are over 7 and income surport if there under.

i think yo need this: government benefits calculator

you need to put in your circumstances as if you were separated, it takes a while but you will know exactly where you would be financially

It's not over 7 anymore

It's 5. Once they turn 5 it changes to jsa

thanks so much but as im a foster carer im sure i wont be able to get jsa as im self employed x

As you are a foster carer you may be entitled to income support rather than JSA.

Check the calculator on entitledto.com

If self employed you won't be entitled to working tax credits. You should be getting a fostering allowance from the LA, and getting child tax credits and child benefit. You won't get income support unless your income is below IS levels.

2/3 of fostering allowance is classed as expenses so not counted as income.

It has always been the case that you could claim income support if fostering.

Foster carers may be in a position to claim any of the following benefits, according to circumstances

<strong>Income Support</strong>
<strong>Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance</strong>
<strong>Housing Benefit</strong>
<strong>Council Tax Benefit</strong>
<strong>Disability Living Allowance</strong>
<strong>Working Tax Credits</strong>

Source

I'm self employed and entitled to working tax credit.

You could do with popping to the CAB, OP. They will do a benefit check for you.

Won't you need to be reassessed if you split - surely you foster together ?

Single parents/people are allowed to foster.

Yes, I know that, I'm a carer. I wondered if she had to be RE assessed, I would be if dh and I split - or rather foster dd wouldn't automatically come with me.

I think the benefit issue depends if you foster for the la or an ifa.