Panicking.. I may be about to become single..

[JessePinkmansHoody]

And I think my entitlements are a bit worrying..

I work full time and earn approx 15k.. I hoped I'd be entitled to some housing benefit but the calculator is telling me not. And that I'll only be entitled to £137 working tax credits a month

My child situation is a little complicated.. I have 3 but the oldest is a 22 year old DS, an earning non dependent who lives at home and pays me £200 a month. My DD is 15 (straightforward) and my other DS is 14 but living in residential school due to complex needs so I didn't I input him into the calculator. However I am entitled to claim (and do!) child benefit for him as I buy all his clothes, provide spending money etc.

So I get £134 (I think) 4 weekly in child benefit. And xH pays £100 a month in maintenance. This would be my total income once single.

Will I really get no help with rent? Can anyone advise at all in the info I've given? I'm a little scared and need to be strong.. Not panicky

If your 22 year old is paying you rent you are not the sole adult in the house.
but TBH you need a face to face meeting as the calculators are for straightforward cases.

You mention working tax credits but you should also be getting child tax credits for your 15 year old as well or does the £137 include the child tax credits? The tax credits sound too low, could you try a different calculater?

Yes I'm worried I may have done it wrong Babyroobs. But I put in all the info I could and other than my slightly confusing child situation I'm not sure what could be wrong. Maybe you only get child tax credits if you're on a wage below a certain bracket? I never did understand TC v well when I used to be on them years ago...

And I may have input the wrong info on the council website re housing and council tax benefit as it asked how many bedrooms I have (re bedroom tax). I have four but one of those is a built on disabled adapted extension for DS2. The grey area being.. I'm not sure if the exemptions re disabled offspring apply when your disabled children only spends a tiny minority of the time actually sleeping in that bedroom. But he'll always needs it as obviously I always intend to have him home for home visits!

It's all so confusing and maybe my situation is not conducive to the use of online calculators. But I can't find out for real until DP actually moves out and I have to be try to think about the practicalities now rather then soon when it happens

You will be ok. It may mean you have to reduce your hours a bit to qualify the minimum hours you can work for max benefits is 16 hours . you will get child tax credits for each child in education (approx £60 each), child benefit, working tax credit (up to £240) and possibly help with rent (approach your local council). Any maintenance payments (required by law) are not included in calculations for benefits, neither is child benefit. These are on top of your monthly income. I would recommend you call the tax credit people, they are very helpful.

Sorry that didn't make sense....£60 approx a week per child in tax credits and working tax credit of £60 a week on top. plus maintenance plus child benefit plus your income. If you dip under the tax threshold by working part time you get to keep more of your income and it is topped up by tax credits. It may be worth exploring all your options.

I don't think I can go part time Purple. My employers need me to be full time.

I'm also going to get screwed due bedroom tax aren't I? Was talking to a work colleague who'd followed a news story in which someone was fighting not to pay bedroom tax on a room for her disabled child who loved mostly elsewhere residentially.

Will it make any difference if I tell them DS1 does not pay me board? Then he can REALLY stop paying me and will be able to save up a deposit quicker to move into his own place with his gf (which is what they want)

You should get premiums on child tax credits if your DS2 is getting DLA, so it's paid at a higher rate than the usual £60. Child tax credits are still payable for a child at a residential school. DLA care isn't paid for most of the time if a child is at residential school, but if he's home at weekends/holidays then it's paid then, and mobility is still paid even when he's at school. You can also get a disabled child premium I think on housing benefit. It is worth contacting Contact A Family as the rules around a disabled child are complex, especially if they're at residential school. It may depend on how much he is away from home. Is it a 38 week or 52 week placement?

don't know if all councils are different but where I live if you get child benefit for a child they are counted as living with you in the claim. You should be some help with rent if you are in the private sector but probably not if in affordable housing. (council house)

It's a 52 week placement Chilli. He currently comes home 4 times a year as this is part of his behavioural management plan and keeps it a novelty (which has beneficial effect in behaviour). I see him weekly and meet all his needs re clothing, treats pocket money tho.

It's seems things are not quite as I thought.. Hopefully I will be entitled to a little more. I'm not money grabbing and have no wish to live on benefits but I'm scared about how we will manage (and I have a v low maintenance lifestyle. Have just rung a reduced the Sky package massively.. My one extravagance.. The kids I do have at home will not be best pleased but needs must)

Re housing benefit, it depends how much your rent is, there's a minimum living cost (not sure what it actually is a month) but if your wages covered your rent & you were left with say £400 a month and the living costs were £399 they wouldn't help you. If you had less left each month they would too you up. The best thing to do would be to apply, if you no your DP is definitely leaving, get a date and apply about a month before it happens as your benefits won't happen immediately anyway