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Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

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Original poster

Housing, benefits,maintance and work questions.

16 replies

VioletV · 15/02/2011 13:27

HI All,

I?m new here. I?m 18+4 and single. My partner walked out on me a month ago and kicked me out of the flat I shared with him. No reason really other than he just didn?t love me anymore and we aren?t compatable? I?m sure there is more to this but I don?t care anymore. I?ve done all my crying and now I?m moving on.I?ve since found a room to rent in London where I can stay until my baby is born, then I have to move out.

I have found a two bedroom flat I can rent first of June. The rent isn?t so bad but it?ll be more then the SMP I?ll be getting once baby is born. Am I entitled to help from the council to pay the rent and council tax? If so how do I go about it? I don?t yet live in the area where the flat is until I move in. I work full time and plan on returning back to work as soon as I can once the baby is born. Also will I get help re nursery fees? What can I get from my ex in terms of maintance? Can I get maintance from him and then also get him to cover costs towards nursery? Or is it one payment of both. And does the council take into account maintance and not give you any benefits?

Sorry for all the questions I just don?t have anyone to ask.

Thank you.

OP posts:

ballroomblitz · 15/02/2011 14:19

Apply to your local housing association. You'll get help with rent and rates even if you private rent but do it asap because they don't backdate, though give you two weeks from you put in your original application if you need to get in further documentation.
Nursery fees I'm not so sure but my friend is a single mum and they pay all the fees for her to go to work. Maintenance she gets too but something ridiculous like £5 a week. I know with mine the rules recently changed so it didn't affect my benefits whereas it did before

ballroomblitz · 15/02/2011 14:27

Two bedroom I'm not so sure re-reading. I know I wasn't entitled to a two-bedroom place until the baby was 6 months. They expected the baby in your bedroom til then. I'm in NI so it might be different. Good luck

Original poster

VioletV · 15/02/2011 14:45

Ballroom, thanks for replying. The flat I can't move into until june is in a different county from where I am living in now. So can I apply before even living in the area?

Also I can pay my rent until I go on SMP I'm not worried about claiming anything back when I can pay it myself it's just when I can't pay it then I need the help. My baby is due in July and I move to the flat in June. Surely they can't tell me to move out of the flat because it's two bedrooms? Also does anyone know if you can claim anything else to top up the SMP as £124 a week won't even cover the bills!

Thanks.

OP posts:

makemeskinny · 15/02/2011 15:12

hiya, as far as i'm aware you cant claim for the property until you are actually living there so it might be worth getting the forms all filled out ready to submit soon as you move in, they usually allow for 2 rooms but only from when baby is born (its to stop people pretending to be pregnant to get more money)

In the meantime i think you can claim for a single room but reading your OP your not going to( i never bothered either!)

If you dont mind me asking how old are you?

when bubba is born you can apply for working and family tax creds which help towards the nursery fees, and yes maintenance does need to go on all forms as it affects how much you get so only put it on if you know he isnt going to mess you around with it.

Original poster

VioletV · 15/02/2011 15:27

Hi makemeskinny,

I'm 28. Where do you go to get these forms? Can I download them or will I need to go into the council offices?

I've not been in touch with him regarding maintenance and he's not been in contact with me either. He's self employed and I guarantee he will fiddle his books he is a tight fisted accountant. I'm sure I'll have a fight on my hands when it comes to that!

When you say it effects the amount of tax and working credits I was under the impression that had changed and it wasn't taken into account now?

Thanks.

OP posts:

Rosietheriveter28 · 15/02/2011 15:31

Give Gingerbread (charity) a ring. They have advisors who can send relevant factsheets or give you more indeoth advice about work and benefits etc.

Their helpline is 08088020925

Original poster

VioletV · 15/02/2011 15:43

Thanks Rosie, I'll give theam a call after work.

OP posts:

makemeskinny · 15/02/2011 16:08

oh has it changed sorry! (i dont get it so makes no dif to me!)

I've never had to use gingerbread but i hear they're really good, failing that i used the benefits advisor on the direct gov website, also has a calculator so you can get a estimate of how much you could get, and gives you the numbers for every 1 relevant.

Are you claiming working tax credits already? any extra money when pregnant helps doesnt it!

Original poster

VioletV · 15/02/2011 17:06

Phewwwwww! No I've never claimed anything in my life so I'm new to it all.

I'm so mad with how I have to do everything and that wanker gets to carry on with his life as if nothings happened.

I'm working full time in the city so I doubt I can claim anything anyways.

Thanks

OP posts:

makemeskinny · 15/02/2011 17:22

yeah it does seem like a lot of calls and worrying but at the end of it once its sorted you can sit back and relax knowing your in a nice place and its not gonna fall thru due to money issues, That was my main issue when i was pregnant, sucked!

good luck!!

Original poster

VioletV · 15/02/2011 17:43

Were you single when you were pg too? I seem to be the only one as everyone I know was at least with their partners when they gave birth. I swear it's the hardest thing in the world.

OP posts:

makemeskinny · 15/02/2011 19:43

yeah we had split before I even found out (2 years ago today!!) he was supportive till the 20 week scan then went pwoof and fucked off freaked out i'm guessing. He lied and said he'd told his family and they didnt want to know but he hadnt actually told them!

I dont know if this will help but ds is 16months now and looking back I've only felt i needed him once(and that was when i was pregnant and not thinking straight hormonal and just wanted to talk to someone going thru the same thing as me) I didnt have any friends with children, wish i knew about MN then!!

You'll be fine my lovely, feel free to rant/ask advice/sob on here!

Original poster

VioletV · 15/02/2011 21:29

Oh you poor thing. Mine was just a wankstain who is nice to the world but behind closed doors he is arsehole who controls everything.

When he walked I was in tears and shamed myself to telling him to not leave me. I wasn't thinking straight either. It;s nice to hear from someone who's come out the better side so thank you :) x

OP posts:

makemeskinny · 15/02/2011 22:54

Oh you cant blame yourself for that my love, i think i probably would have too if i had the chance...and i'll tell you now, hormones is the BEST EXCUSE EVER!!!!! hee hee heee

So did you get a chance to ring gingerbread or go on the direct gov webby?

that was a lovely bonding moment there btw!!

Original poster

VioletV · 16/02/2011 10:45

Thanks hon. You sound bloody lovely! He wouldn't except hormones, ingfact he wouldn't except anything out of HIS control.

I'm going to give them a call today. Thank you so much for all your help. You've been very helpful x

OP posts:

makemeskinny · 16/02/2011 18:32

Hope it went ok!

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