Hi in need of some help

[dannysport]

I have lost my job and have split up with my ex we have 3 kids

I have moved back to my mum an dad's house but my ex wife could not manage with all 3 kids at home

So i have my 1.5 year old now living with me,

I just dont know what I can claim for claim as a single parent with out a job for the first time in 16 year's started work at 16 as a apprentice engineer now i get to be a house dad now 32 year old

I have my other 2 kids at weekends and the baby full time

 

I have had my first trip ever to a job center on the 9th

how to I find out what to do and can I get any help from some one

my ex get's to keep the house no real problem as my other 2 kids live in it

 

things i get and have had for the past year my 1 year old has been living with me when I was working

1.child benefit

2.child tax credit

 

 

and thats about it I Used to have a well paid job not i get nothing I have been using my savings since april to live on and a friend said I should try an get my self some help now

 

thank

Dan

[mrsfoot]

I have lost my job and have split up with my ex we have 3 kids

I have moved back to my mum an dad's house but my ex wife could not manage with all 3 kids at home

So i have my 1.5 year old now living with me,

I just dont know what I can claim for claim as a single parent with out a job for the first time in 16 year's started work at 16 as a apprentice engineer now i get to be a house dad now 32 year old

I have my other 2 kids at weekends and the baby full time

 

I have had my first trip ever to a job center on the 9th

how to I find out what to do and can I get any help from some one

my ex get's to keep the house no real problem as my other 2 kids live in it

 

things i get and have had for the past year my 1 year old has been living with me when I was working

1.child benefit

2.child tax credit

 

 

and thats about it I Used to have a well paid job not i get nothing I have been using my savings since april to live on and a friend said I should try an get my self some help now

 

thank

Dan

 

 

Hi Dan. If you have less than 16k savings you need go online and make a claim for jobseekers allowance..www.direct.gov.uk This is paid for while you are looking for work. As the primary carer for a baby they may change this to income support, but they normally get you on jsa 1st.

 

You are already getting child benefit and tax credits. For your baby, but you are not entitled to anything for your other 2 as your ex is the primary carer (4nights or more makes you the primary carer)

 

Now your with your parents, you may get housing allowance and council tax benefit. If your parents rent their house then the rent/ council tax is normally split between the adults living there and your portion may be covered. If they own it and you are expected to pay lodgings to them this could be covered too. I always say claim for it anyway, the worse they can say is no!

 

You will need to show how you have been living since being unemployed. Once you complete online application, you will get a claim pack and an appt to go to your local jobcentre. They will need to see I'd for you, your address, child benefit and tax credits so if you haven't got letters (for this current year) call them and have them sent out.

 

Ill pop bk on over the next few days to see how your getting on..anything urgent you can private msg my inbox.

 

Good luck

[id6052]

Good morning, Dan

 

As a lone parent with a child under 7, you are not expected to be available for work and are therefore eligible to claim Income Support. The current rate for an adult over 25 is £67.50.

 

Income Support is a means tested benefit, it is not affected by your Child Benefit or Child Tax Credit, however it can be affected by other types of income you may have.

 

It is not affected by savings if they are less than £6000.

If savings are between £6000 and £16000, Income Support gets reduced.

If savings are greater than £16000, you would not be eligible for Income Support.

 

As you have returned to live at your parent's home, you would not be eligible for either Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, nor would you receive help towards any lodge money you give to your parents.

[Nystagmite]

If your wife pays you child support, this doesn't affect your benefits.

 

Because you're not working you may get more child tax credits.

[ErikaPNP]

Please do not offer advice by private message. The link to the forum rules is in my signature.

 

Danny, id6502 and Nystagmite have got it spot on. You are not expected to be available for work with a child under 7. The amount of IS is the same amount of JSA but you would not have to be actively seeking and available for work to qualify, and would not have to go to the jobcentre to sign on every fortnight.

 

They cannot 'change' a claim to IS - you would need to claim it.

[Nystagmite]

Because your child is under 4, you may also get healthy start vouchers of £3.10 per week.

[dannysport]

Because your child is under 4, you may also get healthy start vouchers of £3.10 per week.

 

I have got the paper work for this now off the web site and will get my doc to fill it in for me

I will get back to work as soon as I can as its a big life style change for me

 

I am finding it hard not getting up and going to work

[flumps1976]

It is entirely you decision whether you chose to claim Income Support on the grounds of being a lone parent with a child under the ager of 7 or if you decide to sign for JSA where you can restrict your jobsearch to school hours only and don't forget that you can also have a second job seekers agreement for school holidays too. (Not a very well known fact).

[dannysport]

I am going to go pack to work once i sort out child care again

so i will see what the job center can offer me on thursday

i will up date this then

[mrsfoot]

If a non dependant child returns to live at home and they rent their property then the rent is divided between the adults living there, as is council tax! I know this because my sister lives with my parents in the same circumstances as u.

If you are looking for work then dwp will advise jsa not IS..as there are services you can link into wen on jsa but not on IS.

My sister was left in a similar situation..she claimed jsa, but this was changed by dwp to IS wen she went for her appt...because her child was 8mnths with disabilities..so my original advice is correct, but it is your descion ultimately

 

Thanks Flumps re job seekers agtreement re school holidays..I never knew that...always good to learn new things.

[id6052]

If a non dependant child returns to live at home and they rent their property then the rent is divided between the adults living there, as is council tax!

 

Danny

 

No offence intended to mrsfoot, however the above advice is inaccurate. Non dependents are not eligible for either Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.

 

One of the primary conditions for entitlement to Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit is that the person is the liable party for rent or council tax.

 

If your parents are renting the property, then they are the liable parties for rent and council tax. If your parents own their own home, they are the liable parties for council tax.

 

The only way that you would become the liable party for rent and/or council tax would be if you were a joint tenant (or joint owner) with your parents.

[mrsfoot]

Well I guess our local council have got it wrong then...because my sister has been bk home for a while...and has her part of the rent paid for by local council. My parents get full council tax n rent benefit...the only rent + ctax paid is my sisters share.

[id6052]

if your parents are in receipt of full housing benefit and council tax benefit - then the council will normally apply a non dependent deduction for another adult living in the property

 

the level of deduction will depend upon the non dependant's income - there are several different levels of deduction which can range from a nil deduction up to about £60 per week

 

it may be the non dependant deduction that you are referring to when you say your sister is being charged rent/council tax

[ErikaPNP]

Mrs Foot - I'm confused. One one hand you suggest that your sister is getting HB:

 

my sister has been bk home for a while...and has her part of the rent paid for by local council.

 

On the other hand it appears that your parents are but your sister isn't:

 

My parents get full council tax n rent benefit...the only rent + ctax paid is my sisters share.

 

The relevant legislation is here. A non dependent who is not a tenant in their own right or who is living in a contrived tenancy is not eligible for HB, however a non dependent deduction may be applied to the housing benefit of the person that they are residing with

[flumps1976]

mrsfoot the second JSAg only applies for a maximum of 8 weeks in a calender year so mostly used during the summer holidays.

Definitely consider asking about it though

[martin2006]

Glad all thats sorted, poor danny must be thinking he's started ww3