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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

Anyone else panicking about the tax credit changes?

25 replies

somersetsoul · 23/10/2015 20:55

From what I gather I fall into the worst off category. I work, am a single parent and earn more then double the cut off. Will I really loose £100 - £150 a month??

Not sure how Im supposed to manage this. Loosing £20 a month is bad enough.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

PrincessHairyMclary · 23/10/2015 21:07

Yep, I'm due to lose £120 a month (£1500 a year) luckily enough the same week the cuts were announced a new job was advertised which I applied for and got which will make up the difference. It means I work more hours than my previous job but when the cuts come in I will revert back to the same as my previous jobs income which I know we can manage on with a little dispensable left for treats.

However, I am now no longer able to do the school run and with out my parents who take and pick my DD from school everyday I would never have been able to take the job.

I know it's not easy and certainly not possible for everyone but the only answer is to apply for a different job or seek out a promotion or different role at your current one.

junelomi · 23/10/2015 21:13

I was panicking when I first heard about it but I got advice from a CAB advisor who said I shouldn't be affected much as I'm on income support and the tapering doesn't apply. I think he did say that for those working and getting hit by the tax credit changes, housing benefit will help make up some of the shortfall.

Original poster

somersetsoul · 23/10/2015 21:14

Wow, congratulations. If I do more hours I will have to pay childcare for 2 children before or after school :(

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 23/10/2015 21:16

Big time.

MisForMumNotMaid · 23/10/2015 21:21

On Monday the house of Lords is voting on the bill? (Or something that has to happen) before changes can be put into place. I'm crossing everyting that the third proposal goes through which is for transitional protection for three years with a review and revote for continued transitional protection after three years.

Original poster

somersetsoul · 23/10/2015 21:27

HB should increase but that wont cover it all. I love the fact that childless couples will actually be better off??! Whoever thinks these changes up has obviously never been in our situation.

OP posts:

PrincessHairyMclary · 23/10/2015 21:36

You should still get 70% if childcare paid though.
I think it's going to be hard to second guess what is going to come in the future. Perhaps start saving an extra £10 a week or whatever you can spare to get you used to living on less but also give you a fund to dip into once the cuts come.

Pocketrocket31 · 24/10/2015 01:00

crapping it! I'm self employed & a carer. Due to be 1800 pa worse of

julesnbump · 24/10/2015 14:27

I'm going to be £30 a week worse off. Nearly everyone I've spoken to about it seem clueless they just thought it was the 2 child cap that's being introduced in April 2017 and they've had a shock when they realise they are going to be worse off. But according to the Tories it pays to work

expatinscotland · 24/10/2015 20:01

'HB should increase but that wont cover it all.'

And subject to caps, too. Plenty of private-renters exceed the LHA caps, which are set very low, and already have to top up their rent. But hey, fuck 'em, they are all pisstaking malingerers who just don't work hard enough, according to plenty of posters on here.

Original poster

somersetsoul · 24/10/2015 21:00

I private rent and am capped so probably wont be better off. Rents are ridiculous. In the year since Ive moved they have gone up £100 a month easily. Maybe they should look at capping the amount someone can charge for renting their house out.

OP posts:

Wotsitsareafterme · 25/10/2015 19:44

I'm losing 165 but I will gain about 80 in hb. I am astonished - I've never before qualified for hb but sod it I'm claiming
Obviously I will be worse off I'm just please it's not as much as I thought

Pocketrocket31 · 25/10/2015 22:14

I don't understand the HB part, what if like me, u get council tax benefit not HB

Floundering · 25/10/2015 22:23

If they bloody spent as much time making sure the CSA worked properly as they do trying to reduce TC claims tbey might find they're more successful in balancing the books.

ConfusedNoMore · 25/10/2015 22:28

Floundering - hear hear.

Ex will pay me same minimum amount. I can't even claim HB to help with rent cos he's still in fmh and I'm having to go through court to get him out.

Flowerpower41 · 26/10/2015 06:34

The House of Lords are discussing the statutory instrument with the Conservatives today ref CTC threshold changes.

We need to keep an eye out on any outcomes in the media today.

Wotsitsareafterme · 26/10/2015 08:23

Agree flower - it hasn't happened yet but I'm scared. Also there's the 30 hours childcare coming in - that offsets pre school but I will still need the wtc for dd1 wraparound care

megletthesecond · 26/10/2015 08:26

Yes.

There's a 38 degrees house of lords tax credit petition doing then rounds. Only takes a moment.

motherofallhangovers · 26/10/2015 08:36

As an aside did you know the 30 hours free places will actually put lots of nurseries at risk of closure?

Nurseries will be forced to provide 30 hours, and the government sets the hourly rate they pay the nurseries. The rate they are going to pay them is significantly less than the nurseries charge now, but they are not allowed to ask for top ups.

So this will make it very difficult indeed for nurseries to continue. It will either drive down standards in many nurseries or ultimately force them to close.

An OFSTED inspector I know and the nursery management at DD's nursery are very worried about it.

MissWimpyDimple · 26/10/2015 08:42

Yes I'm worried. I am struggling to work out how much I'll actually be worse off as it might mean HB going up slightly (I current get about 60%) and I'm doing extra hours, so I'm not sure if that will offset it or actually make it worse?
I looks like I'll lose in excess of £100 per month. I work and don't claim for childcare as DD desperately wants to do a club that isn't covered rather than the one that is.
I'm lucky to have a paying ex partner but without that we'd be screwed.

MisForMumNotMaid · 26/10/2015 20:36

this looks like a delay has been voted for. I'm not sure what it means though. It reads to me as though transitional protection is a possibility so provided no significant changes existing claimants stay on same rates for three years.

Original poster

somersetsoul · 26/10/2015 20:39

I was just going to post that!! Woo hoo, lets hope they actually take us lone parents into consideration now. At least it shows that a lot of people with power are against it.

OP posts:

MisForMumNotMaid · 26/10/2015 20:48

There were only a few votes in it though which is a bit scary.

I guess tomorrows news will explain it in more simple terms that I might actually know the process that happens next.

MisForMumNotMaid · 26/10/2015 21:19

A bit more info Now we just sit and wait till the Autumn statement on Wednesday the 25th November!

megletthesecond · 27/10/2015 07:13

Whatever concessions they make they'll give them with one hand and quietly take them back with the other.

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