What to do - shall I continue working or give up??

[isolde76]

Hi, it's been aaages since I posted on here and I have changed my username as it has been so long!

Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I am a single parent with 2 children, one who has just been diagnosed with autism and I work part time. I am just finding it so hard trying to juggle everything and I am going to study at the OU next year also, so it seems that to work as well as everything else is just too much. What would things be like money wise if I stopped work? What benefits would I get? Currently I am getting working family tax credit and child tax credit, as well as housing benefit. If I stopped work, would all of my rent be paid? And where would I go to start all of this process off? questions questions.... (thanks in advance)

Give up unless you need the break. So many able bodied men don't work because they can't be arsed i don't see why you should bust a gut to earn a living, claim and concerntrate on your kids.
www.entitledto.co.uk

thank you. I guess I just feel so funny about claiming for benefits and not working - something I have never wanted ot contemplate before.

I'm a single mum to an ASD boy of 4.5 years old, on benefits etc etc.
I was told by my DWP lone parent case worker that I don't have to go back to work when my ds goes to school in January as they class it as my respite!!! Made my day!!
Unless you really feel the urge to work or need the time away from home/kids/whatever, do what you feel is right for you.

Wow, that's quite the bonus! I have been looking at the 'entitled to' site and have worked out that I can get nearly £25,000 in benefits. Absolute madness in some ways, but I am so very grateful because at the moment I am in a job I hate and want to study so I can do something I really want to do. Plus (and I don't know about any of the other parents out there with ASD kids), I am finding there are so many meetings that work is a hindrance if anything. And this way, at least I can get some respite, as I never get any time off from the kids (useless ex). Is the jobcentre the best place to go to sort this out?

I'd say a trip to the CAB is your first call because they'll tell you everything you're entitled to. A jobcentre/benefit office will only tell you about what you ask for.
You'll want the forms for
Income Support, Housing/counil tax benefits/ Disability Living Allowance, Carers Allowance and if you get DLA for your child, inform CTC as there is a Disabilty bonus.

Thank you, that is a great help. What kind of band does a child with high functioning autism fall into for DLA? I have had a look at the online form and it seems quite indepth.