This there any more help?

[xox13]

I’m a single mother (24) of two (5 yr old & 6 month old) I currently work 13- 20 hours a week. Take home is £400-600 a month. It varies as I’m only bank hours due to childcare, and can’t commit to contracted hours at present. My rent is £370 a month. I receive around £34 a week child benefits, and currently only receive £51 a month universal credit. I’m battling daily against universal credit as they aren’t paying my rent. I’m calling daily, and writing on the online journal but still nothing. My debts are building up, and currently unable to pay my council tax. I have an attachment of earnings from 2018/2019 council tax bill. I’ve been using a local food bank at the church as some weeks it’s a decision between electricity or food. My landlord has been a great help and I’ve kept him in formed with everything regarding rent, and in his own words the rent I pay is just an extra income to him, so I try to pay as much as I can each week, and the rest goes towards rent arrears he’s made it clear in writing that unless I stop paying rent (even if it isn’t the full amount) he won’t evict me and my children. I couldn’t ask for a more understand landlord tbh. I’ve been to CAB and they’ve been as helpful as a chocolate teapot tbh, I don’t think I can deal with universal credit any longer as I feel I’m hitting a brick wall each day. I’m thinking of contact Step Change in regards to debts. I’ve tried to make changes, for example we only bath once a week (strip wash daily) I only use the washing machine once a week, the heating only goes on in the children’s bedroom at night (during the day we layer up or use blankets and hot water bottles) I’ve sold items for value around the house and even managed to lower some household bills (water has gone from £40 a month to £8 a month)

I’m so fed up of living like this, I want more for myself, and my children. I’ve applied to college to try and better myself educationally so I can get a better paid job.

I’m sorry if this post is so long winded. I know these people that are maybe a lot worse off than myself, and I should be happy that we are all healthy. But, I wondered if there is any more help available that maybe I don’t know about or already receive?

Thank you for reading.

Do work out how much you can claim for childcare costs so you can increase your work hours once lo is a bit older, from 2 you should get free hours too as a lone parent on a low income

@Babyroobs Yes very unfortunate that it happened to be in my first assessment but at least I know now what happened, and that it won’t happen again now for another year. One less worry.

@stucknoue I currently don’t pay any childcare costs. I was meant to be on maternity leave until August, but I went back early when youngest was 9 weeks old. It was agreed by myself, and my boss while I’m breastfeeding, and my youngest is so young I’ll only be working ‘bank hours’ and then will resume my contact (40 hours) when my maternity was meant to finish. When I go back to my contacted hours I won’t have any childcare costs again either. Thankfully :)