I am a single mum (father doesn't provide for LG) I work, I get child tax credits, child benefits and about £8 working tax a week. I am constantly living in my overdraft and my mum has to help me out to get me from week to week. I buy what's necessary I don't spend on things that aren't needed. I spend absolutely nothing on myself. My mum has to pay for my lgs school dinners £11.50 a week as I can't afford it and according to my local council I don't qualify for free school meals because of the £8 working tax I receive. I don't have any luxuries that I pay for so I have nothing I could cancel/stop doing to save money I.e. Subscriptions, haircuts, nails etc...however my income just covers my outgoings leaving me with no leftovers at the end of the month. According to Dwp I am getting everything I'm entitled to. I can't continue to live like this but I honestly don't know what else I can do.
Cms is beyond useless. My lgs father walked away 5 years ago and has apparently got no employment history since then, there's no way he has no income but there's nothing Cms can do.
I don't even know what I'm asking you guys for... I am just totally lost and living in this downward spiral. I feel like the worst mum in the world because I can't do things with my LG that other families do, holidays, days out etc. What really got me was the school meals my LG was miserable on sandwiches and she wasnt eating them saying she was doing lunch clubs when the truth was she wanted school dinners and didn't want to ask because she knew I couldn't afford them. That broke my heart my 8 yo shouldn't have to feel like that.
I am totally lost...