Money matters, help!!!

[mummyofsofs]

My maternity pay has now stopped (i didn't realise it would stop after 9months). As I have a years leave.

My rent on my flat is £1050 per month housing benifit pay nearly £800 so I have had to pay the rest and live on very little.

I have put in a claim for income support and will update child tax credit info.

But I am very worried about my rent situation. I am on the list for a council place but will never get a place I am not over crowded. I can not move to a 1 bed as they will then say I have made myself over crowded.

Anyone got any advice? I don't know how I will manage, its all sooo expensive.

If you work less then 16 hours will they still pay the same amount of benifit and housing benifit?

"they will then say I have made myself over crowded. "

if you cant afford where you are now, then you have no choice but to move, and they cant hold that against you.

I would go to the local housing office for advice asap.

Could you negotiate an earlier return to work ?

Lmccrean I have been to the housing office and they try to fob me off and tell me to speak to housing benifit, if I can not afford my rent. As I should of checked out if my rent was a fair rent before I signed the contract.

I am not priority as I have some where to live. They do not care that I am getting into debt to stay here.

I live in london so cheaper housing is hard to get. They expect me to get a cheaper place in an unsafe area.

sitdownpleasegeorge
I can return earlier if I like but would not be able to afford all the rent as can not work full time as have dd to look after. I do not want to leave her with child minders full time if there is any other way aroundd it...

Who do you rent from is it a private landlord ? If you fall behind with your rent would they evict you ? What would the council do if this was the situation.

Do you have any family who could help with child minding ?

yes it is a private landlord. I'm sure they would evict me if I didn't pay, don't know what the council would do. But not sure if that is an option as housing benifit pays me nearly £800 per month so might get in some kind of trouble. Also have my deposite tied up in the flat which is £2,400.

Family could possibly look after dd 1-2 days per week but that is about it. So I think I would have to work less then 16 hours and still claim income support.

If you worked more than 16 hours would you not be entiled to working tax credit as well as child tax credit.

i just don't really want to work full time unless I have to untill dd is at nursey, as I wante to look after her myself.

If you work less than 16 hours, you wont qualify for WTC. IS will simply deduct pound for pound what you earn so you may not get any IS.

Have you asked for a part time return to work?

hiya,

i was in a similar situation in that i was renting privately until i had baby and then went on council list.

yes, they do try and fob you off, but persist as anybody can go on the council list. it is a long wait - i was told 5yrs, but was given a place after less than 9mths cos i was living in a bedsit.

in terms of your rent, i would talk to landlord about the problems you are having while you wait for income support to come through. when i/c does start, sometimes they will back date housing benefit to include any arrears you have.

also if you do returned back to work, would you not consider asking for additional hrs, just to get you over the 16hrs threshold for working tax credit-even 2-3 hrs per week. from talking to friends on income support compared to me on statutory maternity pay, i find i am better off than they are cos you're still eligible for housing and council tax benefits as well as all the tax credits.

unfortunately the 'new deal for lone parent' people won't even listen to your case until you are on income support, but once you are they are apparrently excellent source of help on benefit entitlement in different scenarios.

hope that helps.

They will review your housing benefit if you nag them. You should also go and see the CAB and ask them to do a benefit check. Have you spoken to your ex about your rent?

Thanks for all the advice, I have been to make a claim for income support.

It seems to me that these people are not willing to help anyone that wants to help themselves.

If I work 16hours per week, I will only earn an extra £20 as anything I get after that will be deducted from my income support.

If I work fulltime (an never see dd) I will be around £60 better off a week. Its a very difficult situation. But I am thinking of taking some time out to study now.

My ex said he will help out but to be honet I would rather be able to cope alone and anything he gives me will be a bonus.

Also I am going to CAB for advice so hope they can help...

What you said there is incorrect. If you work under 16 hours a week then you will only get to keep £20 of any income (salary or maintenance etc).

But if you work over 16 hours a week you come off income support and get WTC and CTC instead. For me this was almost the same amount that i got on IS but i got my salary too. You also get to keep any maintenance your ex pays, whereas on income support you only keep the first £20 of extra income. The downside is you then likely will have to pay most, if not all, of your rent plus council tax but it sounds like you've been doing this anyway.

You also get help with your childcare costs, up to 80%. There is a fixed upper limit which will be more relevant to you as you will need childcare every week, mine is holiday cover only so I'm afraid i don't know the capped figure per week off the top of my head.

Would your job allow you to work say 3 days a week at say 5.5 hours? This takes you over the 16 hours and gives you two days at home plus the weekends so a considerable amount of time with your child. Then you only need to arrange childcare three days a week, less if you can come to an agreement with your ex that he share the midweek time. He can then either rearrange his hours (like you have to), arrange his own childcare or agree to use yours, or ask a relative such as a grandparent. Depending on his job etc he may well be able to cover one of the days. There's no harm in asking!

If you work 30 hours a week you are considered to be full time and the WTC and CTC you get changes to a higher level but you obviously spend a lot less time with your child and a lot more money on childcare.

And you're right about the benefit people sometimes being unhelpful. They'll only give you what you ask for, so you have to ask and check out yourself what you're entitled too. Speak to the CAB, they're more likely to help you find out what you are entitled too and what different arrangements for working hours etc will leave you with financially. The lone parent advisor at the job centre is much more helpful that the IS if you are lookimng to work i have found. Now you are on IS you can go and speak to the lone parent advisor.

best of luck
Gilly

" My ex said he will help out but to be honet I would rather be able to cope alone and anything he gives me will be a bonus. "

Uuum... but you aren't coping alone, are you, you're coping on benefits. I don't think taxpayers should pick up the tab because you don't feel like asking your ex for money?

Your ex won't have any choice but to 'help out' now. If you go on IS the CSA automatically get involved and calculate how much (15% of his net income less some adjustments if relevant). The thing is you won't get this money, only up to £20 of it. SO the money is going to the government to cover your IS payment.

Get yourself into work 16 hours a week as soon as you can. IMO you are likely to be better off from what you've said, plus if family are willing to help you with childcare then you really won't have to worry too much about that as a cost. Better for your child to be with a relative then a stranger who will come and go out of their life.

Your old job has to accomodate you as best they can. Speak to CAB and find out your position, then go and see your human resources manager and talk it through with them

Gilly

Gilly

Thank you for the advice, it is helping me look at all the options...

"Uuum... but you aren't coping alone, are you, you're coping on benefits. I don't think taxpayers should pick up the tab because you don't feel like asking your ex for money? "

Listen talkng mongoose get your facts right before posting a message. I have myself have been a tax payer from the age of 16. I have payed enough tax over the years, and never claimed any type of benifit.

I feel that if someone like myelf that finds they are in my current situation, they are well within their rights to claim benifits. I was born in this country, and always paid tax. I am not saying I will stay on benifits for the rest of my life, I am just looking for money to help me get by untill I am in a better situation.

You have no right to judge anyone untill you know all their background. So in future think before typing ok ???

nevertheless, the children's Father should be supporting them, not the rest of us. Oh, and I wasn't born in this country...does that make a difference?

I dont know if youre still watching this thread but the comment the poster made above about losing your hb if you work over 16 hours isnt correct - its done on salary and not on hours - last year i was working 3 days a week (so 21 hours) and receiving hb, ctc and nursery payments - as long as you earn under 17k and have no savings you'll be ok...you wont get any help with council tax tho - that much is true...

bte the rules for hb are changing and if you move you will get caught up in that so check with the cab...

gaintkatestacks

Thank you for the info

Talkingmongoose

SHUT IT!!!!!!!!!

He is supporting his child but he cannot be expected to pay the full amount of my rent plus child care costs plus his rent.

Can he stupid 1????