Benefits help needed

[NutCase82]

Sorry about how this is written but want to try to stick to relevant info...

My maternity is about to end and it's very unclear what my best option is. I'm a single mother and claiming benefits for the first time. I don't want to put my child in childcare so any option that gives vouchers etc towards that is not going to sway me one way or the other.

Before the baby I was self employed earning £10 an hour average 30 hours a week.

I now have 3 options...be a SAHM (relying solely on benefits)...go back to being self employed...get an employment from my main income giver.

How do I get the best out of life? In my ideal world I want to look after my own child so that would mean either SAHM or being SE again doing the bare minimum able to claim benefits.

I know 16 hours comes into things but unsure if this would still count as SE.

Please can anyone break down these options into the best monetary income for me and my baby.

[RhubarbTea]

Be careful of Universal Credit if you want to be self employed, the assumed 'minimum income floor' is a killer. Research a bit about UC and self employment first.

[Bagadverts]

Universal credit includes an element for adult/couple, element for child and element for housing.

[Aprilmightbemynewname]

My MA was more than SE earnings at 16 hours. The council knocked that off the HB. The midwife lost my Mat b1 form and ds was premature meaning claims all went in late, child tax paid the back payment weekly so to the council I had even more weekly income so took even more off my HB!! Couldn't make it up!!
Was glad to get back to work!!

[NutCase82]

@Bagadverts thank you for your help 😊

[NutCase82]

It seems a bit odd because they're basically giving me child tax credits but then taking that amount off my housing benefits which is surely penalising my child as that and the child benefits is the child's money??

Thank goodness I've escaped this mess until now 😂

[Bagadverts]

So yes if not working/self employed either income support continue with tax credit and housing benefit or universal credit (which will stop the tax credits and housing benefit).

If employed will be similar and depending on hours no income support but get working tax credit.

[NutCase82]

I'm living on (weekly)
maternity allowance £140
Child benefit £20
Child tax credit £53
Housing benefits are about to start at £55 (to cover £100 rent 😳) they say I'm not entitled to full HB (£94) due to me earning more than £140 which is what the government say is enough!!

[Bagadverts]

What are you living on now? I'd suggest you have a look at the citizens advice website or visit your local one. Entitled to also have a benefit calculator. The main benefits are likely to be child benefit and then either income support/tax credits or universal credit.

ucpostcode.entitledto.co.uk/ucdate

If you are in a full service universal credit area then depending on your DC age you will be expected to do activities to move towards work. There are also conditions around self employment.


www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/interview/claimant-commitment-what-group/

The 16 hours relates to getting the working tax credits. This can be employed or self employed.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/help-if-on-a-low-income/working-and-child-tax-credits/working-and-child-tax-credits/check-if-you-can-get-working-tax-credits/

www.entitledto.co.uk