Another benefits question - advice please

[Lazylou]

This is likely to be long so apologies in advance, but I could really do with some advice.

Basically, I was on IS from before the time DD was born right up until last year. I came off all benefit because I managed to secure myself a great job and obviously didn't need the benefits. During the time I was on IS, I went to work in a nursery, voluntarily at first and then was paid for the 2 days a week I was working. I didn't inform the necessary people and when I came off my benefit last year, I was called in and cautioned for not declaring I was working, which is fair enough. Some of the recent posts on here have made me realise that what I did was wrong on many levels and it was the words of Colditz that really made me see just how badly I had behvaed.

Whilst I was in my caution interview with the benefits people, I broke down and told them (truthfully) that I didn't work whilst on benefits because of the money. I was training to be a Nursery Nurse and that was all I was trying to do. I wasn't out to defraud anyone, although technically that is what I have done. For this, I was fined and told to pay back all the money that I had been given as overpayments.

Some months later, my job fell through, when I discovered I was pg. There is a long story behind that too, which I have posted about before. Since then, I have had no money coming in at all and have had to rely on Dh to support us. His job has now come to an end and we are really in the shit. I'm nervous about claiming benefit again because I feel that I will be watched all the time. This isn't a problem, except I am not very good when it comes to the rules of benefit and I am worried that without meaning to, I will do something wrong. That sounds a bit weak, but genuinely, I don't really know how the system works.

I am now 33 weeks pg and have not even claimed as much as maternity benefit (which I think I am entitled to?) as I am worried about this. I have looked at the forms and I can't work out whether I would be entitled to anything. All I know is, is that we must be entitled to something, I'm just not sure what. I went to sepak to my local CAB and the person I spoke to there was about as much help as a chocolate teapot, so I am no nearer to knowing how to get out of this hole we are finding ourselves in. We are seriously behind with the rent, can barely make the payments on anything else and with DD going to school in September (and all the kit that entails) as well as the imminent arrival of DS in a few weeks, I am getting myself into a right state about it.

I don't know what to do, or who to turn to. I can't prove I have been working because my ex boss still has my p45 despite my requesting it numerous times. I wouldn't even know what benefit I may possibly be entitled to.

Everything is really messy financially atm and the worry of it all is getting to me. We are now at the point where food shopping is becoming an issue. I tried to find another job whilst pg, but nobody would touch me with a barge pole (there are posts about that as well from me on here).

I have, without a doubt, been an absolute idiot and as well as the financial repayments I am having to make (which I can't actually meet) I am recieving my punishment emotionally too.I'm not looking for sympathy btw, because I know I did the wrong thing and I am trying (badly) to face the consequences of my actions. I am not a troll looking to cause a fight either. I have posted about this in different stages, all under this name (not creative enough to think up a name change and doubt I'm that well 'known' anyway). I could just do with some advice to get me on the road to recovery.

As it is, DS still doesn't have any of the things he needs, bar the things we kept from DD like her cot etc. I can't meet my kids' needs with nothing coming in. DH is looking for work so I'm hoping it won't be too long before something starts coming in. It's just in the meantime and surely I would be entitled to something? To prove how dim I am about the whole thing, I didn't know that I could claim CTC even though I wasn't working, until I read it on another thread here earlier on.

If you managed to read this far, thank you. I promise to shut up now .

[Lazylou]

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[gothicmama]

you could speak to citizen advice bureau or go into local jobcentre plus alternatively check out direct.gov.uk which has a online tool to claculate what you could receive contact child tax credit number you can find this on direct. gov. uk

[TheBlonde]

Go to your local job centre/ benefits office
They will sort out what you can claim and should be able to advise you on your missing p45

[gothicmama]

if you don't get your p45 contact your local tax office for advice

[Fizzylemonade]

Contact the benefits department, they do not keep tabs on you as far as I know if you have defrauded before and it doesn't affect your current claim.

I know lots of people recommend CAB but I never do, sometimes they are great and other times not.

There is no harm in asking to see if you are entitled to anything, even if this means filling in a form, at least you will know.

You need to look at claiming what you can until your DH finds work. What if this goes on for a few more weeks or worse months? You can only back-date claims so far.

Don't beat yourself up about the past, draw a line under it and look to the future.