Benefit Experts, some help if you will please?

[BrownSuga]

A friend is trying to find out benefits she may be entitled to. She will be single with 2 early teens. She is a citizen, but has only been here a short while. She is going to the CAB later, but what kind of things should she ask about.

She has legal aid, but as her children are here on visas, she can't get legal aid for them, are there agencies she can go to for help with that?

Are there emergency benefits she can get, as her H has all the family money in acct in his name only, she has no idea how much, or where it is even (could be offshore), and has no income herself? I don't know if she has money right now to feed them this week and pay bills (will call her this arvo to talk that thru with her)

Can she get counselling for the children through any agencies out there, bit of a horror story for them, and feel they really need some help?

She knows about child benefit, housing benefit, what other help can she look into getting? She is not employed but is looking for work.

Is there anything else we can do. We've offered her practical help in terms of housing/car etc... but feel a bit useless.

Would appreciate any advice, thanks

anyone?

Its a real minefield - there are rules about habitual residence, but daft for me to try and second guss the circs. I had a recent case where the applicant failed the test for income support, but could still get JSA - he just needed to be seeking work, so thats agood sign. She really is doing the right thing by going to CAB. Kids: if at school start there with counselling, if not HV or GP - get registered ASAP if not yet done. If that fails ring round the childrens charities for advice. Shelter gives excellent advice around homlessness and getting access to social housing. If no money you can phone and apply for a crisis loan (and income support JSA) over the phone and then they'll claw if back out of benefits in installments at a later date. The giro is usually avaialable the same day or the next morning. Might be worth seeing what CAB advise first though. Good luck!