confused about income support.

[katemcc]

i am a single mum who gets income support, child benefit and child tax credit and i work 8 hours a week.

i had a meeting at my job centre plus last year and was told that if i was to get a job and i worked for less than 16 hours a week i wouldnt loose any of my benefit, infact the guy told me that this would be a good idea so it could help my mum out.

so as he suggested i went out and got a job for 8 hours a week.

so, next meeting i go to i tell the guy that i took his advice and got a job for 8 hours a week at this point i hadnt told DWP about my job because this guy had told me that it wouldnt affect it so there wasnt any point in telling them. anyway, at this meeting, the same guy tells me i should have told them because it will affect my benefits and i will probably have to pay them money back.

straight away i get on the phone to tell them and to explain to the and they tell me that i work 8 hours a week so i have lost half of my benefit. taking it down to 32.50 a week, but not only that but i owe them £112 so now theyve taken it down to £24 to allow me to pay them back.

 

is this right? should i have lost so much, or even any of my income support if i only work 8 hours a week when im a single mum and in full time education?

 

any help would be great

[pompeyfaith]

As income support is work out on what the law says you need to live on per year if you have gone over that threshold you will indeed have to pay it back.