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Original poster

Please help me understand my benefits entitlement

175 replies

BeauMirchoff · 19/02/2018 13:14

I'm finally going to split up with my husband. I've done a quick calculation online of what help I would be entitled to and by the looks of it, I would be left with about £1065 after rent (£1250) and childcare (£1400). With that £1065 I'd have to pay for food, transport and all other bills/debts. Council tax would be about £100, phone £50, tv and internet £65, repayment of tax credits £40, cc repayment £30, water bill arrears £50, energy bill arrears £45, other debts approx £50. So that's £430 if my calculation is right...that leaves me with £630 for food, clothes and transport. Can it be done? Sad this is making me so anxious but I just can't live with that man anymore. I'm so unhappy and he treats me like shit and the reason why I even have arrears is because he can't hold down a job for longer than a month. I want to start afresh on my own but that may mean I will really struggle...

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Bluntness100 · 19/02/2018 16:53

It's the equivalent of about 25k gross salary

Yes, and on addition. To the ops salary brings her in the same as somone on well over 50 grand a year. I didn't realise the benefits system did this.

Babyroobs · 19/02/2018 16:53

Your ex will be expected to pay half the arrears of the tax credits when your joint claim ends.

Bluedoglead · 19/02/2018 16:55

The Ops salary is 28k a year but she’s putting in figures that suggest it’s 11k or 16k That’s not really being honest. And will lead to an overpayment which the tax credit folks will claw back. Again. As they are currently doing to the op.

So. She knows what she’s at. She knows and she’s maximising the amount she gets now and will pay it back on the drip. And that’s not honest.

Bluntness100 · 19/02/2018 16:58

Ok, so if she was honest she'd get a lot less?

Bluntness100 · 19/02/2018 17:00

Doesn't that mean in a years time it will drop to the correct level, plus she will need to pay back the over payment? Isn't she storing up trouble?

If she's only got 500 quid a month now, how will she live in a year?

Bluedoglead · 19/02/2018 17:01

Yes because the op is deliberately using last year’s figures which she knows are wrong. See her post here-

BeauMirchoff Mon 19-Feb-18 13:33:09
Because those tax credits are calculated against last year's income which was very low. 2017/2018 is not going to be high either because I only started working in Sept 2017. I studied from Sept 2016 until July 2017. My next year's income 2018/2019 is going to be the full 28k.

And she’s already not nformed the tax credits folks at least once of an increase in her and her husband’s earnings or a drop in child care costs because she is already paying back an overpayment.

Bluedoglead · 19/02/2018 17:02

That’s what I’m trying to understand bluntness.

Bluedoglead · 19/02/2018 17:04

They’ll take the income of 16k for this year and last year was 11k because thatswhatthe op told them.

But her ACTUAL income is 28k paid monthly.

So she is 12k down of her income in her Figures. And I can’t understand why you’d do this when you’ve already got into a mess with an overpayment you have to pay back, and you’re in arrears with water and energy.

DancesWithOtters · 19/02/2018 17:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bluedoglead · 19/02/2018 17:06

Does the £500include electric and gas and water? Because all that’s in the initial figures is payment of arrears. How long do you still have to pay the arrears for?

Gazelda · 19/02/2018 17:07

OP, I think you should be using the £28k figure when trying to use entitledto.com.
I also think you need to look for alternative childcare, or moving home.
It's unrealistic to hope that you'll be able to keep all the same arrangements (living, work, childcare) by subsidising with benefits. You need to get your ex to support his children, and to reduce your outgoings as much as possible.
He sounds like such a waste of space, and I don't doubt you are making the right decision. But sadly there will be impact on your finances that won't be covered by the tax payer.
But I'm sure that with a bit of planning, budgeting and hard work, you will be able to live on £500pcm. And your childcare costs are going to reduce soon.

Bumbumtaloo · 19/02/2018 17:08

I don’t get it either if I’m honest.

Tax credits do check the figures you claim too. A couple of years ago I put figures in for DH and stupidly put £2k in the wrong box - was our renewal - they then rang me to say their records show it should have been xx & xx not xxx.

Pringlemunchers · 19/02/2018 17:09

Just a thought. I know you love your job, but is it actually cost effective for you. You are only earning about £400 a month ( after massive child care costs), what are the travelling costs etc?
Would it be an idea to have a fresh start and get out of London altogether ?

Bluntness100 · 19/02/2018 17:12

I understand why she's taking the money now but it seems terribly short sighted, she's already paying a ton of arrears back, I just don't understand how she can survive next year.

If the husband doesn't work, he needs to do the child care.

FoofFighter · 19/02/2018 17:12

500 left AFTER BILLS?

That is quite a fair whack.

DancesWithOtters · 19/02/2018 17:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bluedoglead · 19/02/2018 17:13

Agree Bluntless. And I don’t understand it.

Op. You need to tell tax credits that your income is 28k. If you don’t youll end up paying tons and tons back and you’ll end up in a mess. And you need to go after your ex for child maintenance.

FoofFighter · 19/02/2018 17:13

And yes if husband not working why could he not look after his children while OP working

Bluedoglead · 19/02/2018 17:14

Because he doesn’t look after toddler according to op.

Bluntness100 · 19/02/2018 17:24

But he needs to step up. They can't afford 1600 a month on childcare. At least he should be taking the older one to school and picking them up.

I guess he will also get benefits as unemployed.

Bluedoglead · 19/02/2018 17:26

I agree Bluuntless.

Original poster
BeauMirchoff · 19/02/2018 17:29

Is anyone actually reading my updates? I DID tell tax credits about my actual salary when I called them in September. So no, I'm not dishonest. The online calculator asks for last year's income - so that's what I did, I put last year's income in.
Stbxh IS working right now. It's his third job in the space of three months.

OP posts:
Original poster
BeauMirchoff · 19/02/2018 17:31

@Bluntness100 I'm not taking any money yet. It's a calculation to see what my situation will be when I leave my husband.

OP posts:
WitchesHatRim · 19/02/2018 17:32

Stbxh IS working right now.

So when you leave go straight to CSA.

Bluedoglead · 19/02/2018 17:32

The online calculator is wrong. It assumes your income is roughly the same. You need to put the 28k in to get an accurate figure.

You must know this. You have to - because you already have arrears you’re paying back.

You’ll be making a new claim. Once you separate. I wouldn’t be so sure that the current arrangements for paying back will stand ince you do that - because Half the arrears will become your ex’s issue so they MIGHT change the payments you have to make. It might work in your favour but it might mean they take it off your claim.

How long do you have to pay back your arrears on energy and water?

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