About to split up, advice re finances - self employed

[thecatsm0ther]

We are about to split up. We need to sell the house, but once that is done, I'm unsure what I can claim.

I'm self employed, so my income varies hugely, but isn't very high, maybe £200 in the quiet winter months to £800 when very busy. My daughter is 14. I presume I'm entitled to child maintenance from soon to be exh. Would I also get child tax credits and working tax credits?

When I move out when the house is sold will I be entitled to help with rent or entitled to council house? Is there any other help I can claim?

Very grateful for any advice. I'm scared, but have stayed long enough and need to move on.

Hi there. I'm self employed, single parent and an accountant.

You will qualify for both working tax credit and child tax credit. Ring them ASAP when your STBXH is no longer supporting you, to start your claim off. You can find out what you might be entitled to , Google tax credit calculator. You will need your profit for last year. You also need to work out your average hours worked per week and make sure they are enough to claim.

Not sure what else you could get but ring DWP to find out. It's all income based.

If you know his income you can calculate maintenance on the CMO website, then ask him for that amount. If he refuses then go through CMO to get the money.

Thanks.

I wasn't self employed until November 2014, so no figures for last year, but I can work out an average over the last six months, will they accept that?

How many hours can I or should I work? I believe you have to work 16 hours to be able to claim working tax credits?

Yes 16 hours minimum.

You will need to give actual total income for last year plus estimated income for this year.

Ah yes, so if I earned more last year I won't get as much in tax credits.

It is based on previous year but if your circumstances are changed since then they should use current years figures. I got tax credits despite not qualifying on previous year income.

They only backdate one month now so please give a claim as soon as you are able to. Think you can claim if you are apart but in same house, but you do need to prove you are not together. Not entirely sure on that situation though. You could ring WTC to ask for advise

Yes, think I'll ring them soon. Gonna have big talk next week when dd is away on school trip, don't want her around when we start scrapping over this. I thinkwe'll be living in the same house for a while until it sells, but doubt he will want to provide for us anymore, so will need to sort something out.