Massive Money Worries - Any advice?

[harman]

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HB is supposed to sort out your entitlement within 14 days unless there is a good reason why they can't.
If they can't they are supposed to make you an Interim Payment based on their best guess of what you are entitled to. The only problem would be that if eventually you were assessed as not entitled, you would have to pay it back, but that would be little by little if you didn't have the cash then.
My suggestion is that you go into the HB office, even if you have been there endless times before, and 1) ask for an interim payment and 2) ask if there is any information they are waiting for from you. Get a receipt for your visit which says that you made these requests and records the answer. So many times councils say they couldn't pay HB for such-and-such a period because the claimant did not supply information, when in fact the letter got lost, or they themselves mislaid or misunderstood what they had been told. Get absolutely everything in writing. Get proof of posting (it's free at the post office) whenever you send anything and get a receipt when you hand deliver anything.
As far as your landlords are concerned, stay in touch with them all the way. Even if HB is payable eventually, you will probably have to pay a certain amount, maybe to cover water rates or similar. You could ask your landlord for guidance about this, but start paying something now and pay regularly. I would suggest you start with £5 per week, and somehow it looks better to have £5 going in each and every week rather than £40 here and £20 there with nothing in between but long gaps, even if it adds up to the same.
So far as the money from your house is concerned, HB must ignore a certain capital sum - I think it's about £3,000 - then above that they take it into account but not pound for pound. CAB can tell you more. If you are thinking about your children's future, I wonder if there is any mileage in putting lump sums into trust for them when the house is sold? You would need some expert advice on that, but it is possible that it could be a way of keeping capital aside for them and not having it treated as yours.

Harman - I am in Chislehurst.

I've just sent you an email

I haven't read the whole thread, so apoligies if I'm repeating anything here.

Harman, have you approached the Social Fund for a Crisis Loan or a budgeting loan? It has to be paid back out of any benefits you receive, but you may be able to pay it off when you receive something out of your former home.

You can apply for either loan through the benefits agency.

Also, why are you paying for putting the house into a habitable condition? Should the housing association not be doing that? Who removed the carpets? Surely this sort of thing shouldn't be your responsibility.

Why aren't you receiving any benefits?? What about Child Tax Credit and any maternity benefits?

Harman, email me with details of what you are living on and I'll see if I can come up with any other suggestions.

Re Christmas presents, presumably your family will be providing some pressies for the children? Children often forget who gave them what and, if they have a number of small presents from other family members, they may not even realise that there isn't a great deal from you.

Have emailed you.

please get in touch with CAB. they cant leave you hanging like this.

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They may not be responsible for internal decoration, but they are responsible for the house being habitable. No carpets and young children are not a good combination, nor is damp with anyone, let alone young children. They should not be demanding rent all the time you cannot live in there. If the house has been empty for 5 years, a few more weeks isn't going to make much difference.

Contact CAB and ask to speak to the Housing Adviser (Keith on Mons and Tues and Christopher on Wed-Fri). I'll give them a call anyway and see if they can help if you can't get in for a while.

I'll have a look at your financial situation as soon as I can, but must dash for hair wash and shower now!

have you applied for a grant? you may be entitled to get some money (which you wont have to pay back) for carpets especially for the kids bedrooms) or maybe a budgeting loan. have you also claimed your maternity grant?

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was it you whose dd had ezcema/asthma? depending on the severatity of her ezcema/asthma you culd be entitled to DLA, which would boost everything else up. if you are up at all during the night dealing with it then it could be worth applying. sounds absolutly callous at times saying it, but i dont know any of the other mothers at dd1 nursery who are up during the night giving inhalors/creams/ calming down itchy children, and the money does help.

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pick up the forms from dss, have a look at them, fill tyhem in. they can only say no if they dont think you qualify. its good she is under hopsital as that will swing things your way too.

btw if she does get awarded dla at middle or higher, u can get carers allowence.

Hi Harman

Hope you're able to get through to CAB and they have a housing specialist who can help. I don't know a huge amount about your situation, but might you qualify for legal aid? In which case a solicitor specialising in housing may be able to help you buy some time re. paying the rent, especially as it sounds as though you may well have a counter-claim on the rent on grounds of disrepair ? esp. if you have a newborn and a child with an allergy.

Harman,

I'm sorry to read about your continuing financial worries. Definitely worth a trip to CAB and they could talk to the Housing Benefit people at the council to accelerate your claim. I know of one council in Surrey which works with YMCA to help with deposits/guarantees, and perhaps other aspects of rehousing as well, and wonder if any similar scheme exists where you are.

Good luck

harman,

don't know much about housing benefits etc but echo what everyone else is saying - go to the CAB and get advice from them.
Just a couple of other thoughts I had:

1. what about HomeStart - could a volunteer not help with the kids while you decorate or even while you visit the CAB to get your finances sorted out. I appreciate this might take time to sort out, but it may be something to consider.
2. Have you got a local LETS scheme. It's a sort of 'bartering' system using tokens. Someone could decorate for you, you pay them using your tokens, which you might be able to earn doing, for example babysitting, dog-walking or any other skill/talent you have. I do appreciate though that this might be difficult when you've got 3 kids to look after.
3. Wrt Xmas - what about second hand toys from charity shops, NCT sales etc. I used to turn my nose up at this but needs must and I recently got dd a bargain 'Little Tikes' rocking cow.

Sorry, that should be 4 children not 3, silly me, doh.
Finally, i'm sure your Christmas will be special for your kids, they'll be with you and you'll make sure they have a lovely time, regardless of what presents they get.

Harman, I have sent you an email with some important information in it. Just flagging it up in case you get your mumsnet fix before checking email .

The council here has a rent deposit bond scheme. I assume you already have the deposit though, but, just in case you are struggling to find this, it would be worth contacting Vicki Rogers at the council about this.

harman - did you get some curtains for your front room? I've just got some new longer ones from my front room, so u can have the old ones if you like, they're nothing special just plain beige (cream caligraphy) with an additional liner they're only from wilkos, but if they do u a turn!, theres 2 sets the dsame but only on set of tie back .... me being blond bought the wrong width! lol, I think these are a 72" drop and 54" width, rings as bell, but if not possibly they'll do for your bedroom, and of course they can be dyed to suit. let me know.

also quickly, a lady in our area was also in the same boat as you, with two kids and the council were going to evict her, and well basiclly she went to the local paper as the HB office were being a pain in the backside, and laggin with paper work etc... and the paper managed to sort everything out for her and even write off the back log in rent so she got her house and had no prev rent. are you not entitled to any other benifits?

failing that of course, I don't know your family background, but do u have got parents who would help out with the painting or anything? and a throw on the floor or blanket will be ok as a short term thing to see you thru xmas, as long as you make it fun for the kids it will be.

oh and finally, sorry forgot this one... are you going thru the CSA for your child support? I only say that because you are entitled to up to a third of his wage, if my memory serves right (but it was about 3 yrs ago I looked into on behalf of a client I had at the time - I work in payroll) so if you can have it hon... don't be left short and stuggling if he is living in comfort and eating out every night if you catch my drift.