What benefits are available for newly separated mum?

[thedryad]

My friend has recently left her husband and they have two young children under 7. She's moved into a friend's empty house that's on the market, for the time being, until she's able to find somewhere more permanent. Her husband is staying in the family home where their kids were born, which is rented. She only works 12 hours a week and wants to know what benefits she'd be entitled to. She doesn't have a tenancy agreement for the house she's staying in for now as the owners are letting her stay there as a favour and not charging her a set rent. She's 41 and her children will be staying with her.

[sequenci]

Hello there.

 

1) Maintenance from the father

2) Child Benefit (though she's probably getting that already)

3) Child Tax Credits

4) Council Tax Benefit

5) Housing Benefit (if she does start needing to pay rent)

 

Get her to go through this website - there's a great calculator, there could be other stuff I've missed: http://www.turn2us.org

 

- Seq.

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

This could be a good place to start, it's a free calculator that doesn't ask for personal information like names, etc.

 

http://www.entitled2.com/

 

HB

[thedryad]

Thanks. This is where it starts to get complicated. She says that because she probably won't be in this property for more than a few months, she's not going to change her address with anyone (HRMC, child benefit etc) she's just going to leave it as her former address until she finds somewhere permanent, as her husband is staying there and things are amicable. So if she starts claiming anything as a single parent, but keeps her old address, even though she's not physically living there, would that affect her claim? Her husband doesn't claim any benefits as he is employed full time.

[reallymadwoman]

If she doesn't change her address DWP and HMRC are likely to assume she's still living with her husband and could start a fraud investigation. I would strongly advise against not changing her address.

[honeybee13]

Hello again.

 

Others here know more than I do, but I've seen from reading around this forum that problems arise from someone who says they're single and is found to be living with their ex. I don't think it's ideal.

 

Hopefully someone will know how to deal with being somewhere for a short time with the paperwork.

 

HB

[Ros1609]

She should change her address as otherwise payments like child benefit etc could be stopped

[thedryad]

Thanks everyone I will tell her. Can she say that the house she's staying in is a temporary address?

[antone]

Thanks everyone I will tell her. Can she say that the house she's staying in is a temporary address?

 

She can tell them that it's temporary, but it's not particularly important. They're used to people moving around, especially in a situation like hers.