Please Help... what should I do?

[IhaveaBigBum]

I'll try and keep this short so as not to drip feed.
I'm self employed and had my own business selling personalised flip flops and jewellery online and at markets.
I now have a 2 yr old son and basically due to a horrific pregnancy and really hard first year of being a sleep deprived mum my business pretty much ground to a halt. I then broke up with his dad in January so lost his contribution to bills and mortgage.
My business has earned zero this year and I'm surviving on savings which are fast disappearing and I also have a small income from 2 properties I own that I rent out. The rent is not enough to for me to survive on which is why i supplement with my savings. (Saving left amounts to about 2 thousand pounds)
I have no child care and cannot afford full time nursery costs if I were to get a full time job and because I own the properties it means I am not entitled to any benefits as the equity is classed as savings.
I currently have one of the properties up for sale but it doesn't look like it's going to sell any time soon.
I'm still registered as self employed but was wondering if I might be entitled to at least job seekers allowance if I say I'm unemployed which I am.
Just really starting to panic now my savings are nearly gone and not sure what to do.
Do you think it's possible to remortgage and take out some equity while I'm unemployed? Or would no bank touch me while I'm not earning?

That sounds like you have had a difficult time. I would highly recommend posting the same thing you have posted here on moneysavingexpert.com. It should probably go on the Benefits forum

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/benefits-tax-credits

but you might also get pointed in the direction of the Debt Free Wannabee forum, where you can post a statement of your incomings and outgoings and some really helpful people will make suggestions to help you

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/debt-free-wannabe

Some of the posters can be VERY blunt, so you might need a thick skin, but they are really, really helpful and there is a lot of knowledge on there.

Best of luck

Check if you're entitled to any of the government grants. You'll probably need to have submitted tax returns for previous years.

You'll need to have paid NI contributions to get JSA. There's an online application form on Gov.Uk.

If you've taken reasonable steps to dispose of the property you don't live in you may be able to apply for UC. Try calling the Helpline on 0800 3285644.

Unfortunately you're penalised twice for the properties, the equity is counted as capital and the rent counted as income (subject to some deductions). There is a disregard where the property is up for sale, but it only applies to your old home, not one that is let out.

You'll only qualify for JSA if you've paid sufficient NI Contributions in the tax years 18/19 and 17/18.

How much equity do you have in the properties? If it's not selling have you considered auctioning it?

If your property is not selling then you need to drop the price. You need to release whatever equity you can get.

Have a look at claiming new style JSA, the years you would have needed to pay sufficient NI contributions are 2017-18 and 2018-19. It only lasts for 6 months though.
Can you apply for child maintenance ??
I assume you are claiming child benefit.

Yes I'm definitely up to date with national insurance contributions and I already claimed for the self employed grant but as my earnings were so low after I got pregnant it wasn't very much and the next grant is only 20% which for me will be around £300 to last me 3 months.

The estate agents have suggested auction and it's something I'm definitely considering.

I'll take a look at the money saving expert site and see what I can get there.

I already get child benefit and my son's dad pays £100 a month in maintenance.

I know I'm lucky that I have the properties but my options are just so limited in the current climate.

Thanks for your replies everyone.

The next grant is now 40% not 20% I think (increased help announced this week) and there will be a further grant after that. If you got a full time job you would be eligible for tax free childcare which covers up to £2k per year. Are you claiming child maintenance? Child benefit?

Are the properties mortgaged? A buy to let mortgage only takes into consideration the rental income, you wouldn't need to have any personal income for this, so would be a way to release some equity.

Unless your ex is on benefits, have you checked how much he should be paying on child maintenance? £100 sound very low and the cms amount is the crappy minimum anyway.