A bit personal perhaps but what benefits / entitlements do you get (if any)?

[sb34]

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Yes, that is impossible. You'd be better off not working, surely?

When I was on my own with the kids and on benefits I used to get roughly £100 a week in IS, plus Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, and the Child Benefit on top of that. And that was a struggle!

I'm not up to date with the benefits situation now though, so can't be much help. Surely you'd be entitled to some pretty hefty tax credits?

Try looking here

B*** ridiculous!

hi sb, i was going to recommend that link too - a friend of mine developed it. of course, i recommending it because it's good not because a friend developed it.

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I'm sure you know this already, but child tax credit alone (regardless of working tax credit) should be worth about £67 a week to you (I think) - £1500 or so per year for each child plus the family element of £500 pa. The inlandrevenue.gov.uk website has a useful tax credits online page where you can enter your details (or would be details) and see what your entitlements are (would) be. I applied online and it was all sorted incredibly fast - and with 3 children was well worth while. Hope that helps.

dont know if this helps but when i had ds1 and dp was still abroad ( long story. will have to tell it to you all someday, it makes fascinating reading) i was only entitled to maternity allowance of £67 pweek ( bear with me youll see where im ending up)
anyway , i couldnt cope on this pittance so i phoned the dhss and explained how i was struggling and i was told that if you have a child under your roof, by law you should recieve at least £95 pweek, by whatever benefits necessary. so i had my £67 mat allowance and the rest was made up in income support, this was 4 years ago so you must contact them again as its wrong.

My sister is going to uni in Sept, and is therefore "not entitled" to any benefits - or that's the story you get told at first. But from her friend who is also a lone parent at uni, she knows that anyone with a child has to have at least £110 (or around that figure) per week to live on (and I think that's after housing costs). But you really have to fight for it, it seems

Have you been onto the CSA yet??

Keep phoning them every day if needs be.

Hi SB, I claim for everything possible. At the end of the day it's up to them to say no and I've lost nothing trying. Sometimes you get award money you think there's no way you'd be entitled to. I get:

25% (or some thing like that) discount on council tax because if you are the only adult living in the house you are entitled to this reduction. If you study full time you don't have to pay ANY council tax, this is not strongly advertised but it's true. Just call up your district council and tell them - you'll get a refund backdated to when xh left as well

I think, but not sure, that if you're not on a meter you might be able to get discount on water rates.

I claimed for Working Family Tax Credit and Childrens Tax Credit. I was entitled to WFTC as I earn to much but I get about £3000 a year towards nursery fees

I also get the normal £67 a week Child Benefit

Every little helps - just need to get the CSA sorted now.

hth, if I've missed any obvious ones let me now so I can go claim

How many hours do you work SB?

mmmmm didn't really want to say this but here goes, no job, 100 pounds a week, 350 pound of my rent is paid (450 is what it is) water not reduced, council tax paid, bills 50 pounds a week. No money off x. OU student, just got back online with a 500 pound ou loan

Fizog, are you sure your child benefit is £67 a week? I get that in a month.

Also I didn't know you could claim for water bills, anyone knows how?

I've never had a discount on my water bill, metered or not

But it's certainly true about the council tax reduction if you're the only adult in the house!

Sb34 - Don't you get Child Benefit too? And everyone is entitled to the £545 per year tax credit..... not alot, but it helps. That's another £35 ish per week..... unless you're already counting that.

If you don't work then how come you are not entitled to income support? Is it to do with your National Insurance Contributions over the past couple of years? It doesn't seem right. What about jobseekers allowance?

She does work though M2T!

I don;t even know if I'm getting any tax credits. I'm guessing it's not automatic so I'll have to claim it somehow?

you do have to claim it spacemonkey, and the new year starts in april, renewal time is here, so sort it out

will do FF, ta! Would I get anything backdated to last April I wonder?

no apparently not, they don't do that. but.....0845 300 3900 is the no.

Sorry meant £67 a month! oops.

Not actually sure if you can claim discount on water. Someone mentioned it me once but I never looked into it as I'm on a meter.

Thread hikack - MAMMYA - did you see the Cheap Sunday out thread? any dates that don't suit? also asked for suggestions of places to go...

Ooops Sorry SB34 - I didn't think you could get Income support if you work. I Misunderstood....

My dp is being made redundant in two weeks, does anyone know of the number where I can find out if we are entitled to anything?

Thanmes water is our board, and they stuck a leaflet through with our bill, saying you can get help if you are on benefits like income support, and a few other. Your bill has to be a certain amount before they help though. I think it is £99 for 6 months with Thames.

Lou, that's interesting, I'll have to give them a ring then to find out more.
Fizog, I have posted on the cheap sunday thread, I'm going to check it now!