Benefit entitlement help please

[Fullsteamahead]

Looking for a bit of advice on benefit entitlement please.

I’m looking into possibility of separation from my husband. We live in privately rented home. He works full time, I’m self employed working from home. Two kids, 13 and 7.

I would like to be able to stay in this house but know for a fact I wouldn’t be able to afford to pay rent on my own. My 16/17 tax return showed annual income of about 2.5K, this tax year I suspect it’ll be close to 10K.
Current monthly rent payment is £850 which is paid by my husband.
My question is how is self employed income treated when calculating benefit entitlement and what benefits would I be eligible for, if any? Sorry, no idea where to start :(

Don’t know if it’s relevant but I’m in Scotland

Thanks in advance

Have you looked at the turn2us website, its a benefits calculator which has a section on self employed. Will you ex be paying child maintenance.

Thank you very much, very helpful site even though it’s a bit confusing regarding universal credits vs old style benefits... Would my husband be able to choose not to pay the child maintenance? Or would he be required to do so by law?

You need to speak to either a solicitor or start with the citizens advice bureau, I am not sure but is he willing and able to pay.

Self-employed income isn't treated any differently to regular wages.

I'm afraid I don't know much about benefits in Scotland, but assuming they're the same as England then you'd be looking at:

• Housing Benefit for help towards the rent
• Council Tax Support for help towards the council tax
• Working Tax Credit (if you did enough hours)
• Child Tax Credit
• Child Benefit

That's if you are in an area which still uses the 'old' benefits. And I don't know how much those would all be - probably not a large amount if you also have £10k/yr of your own income.

Definitely worth speaking to your local Citizens Advice Bureau for a benefits check.