how can i manage??

bigbrummygirl

my son who is 17 decided not to return to college .. he is registered with connexions and looking for a training course
the dss however have now stopped all my benefit for him and my child allowance has stopped too
as well as income support for myself i get £23 a week disability premium which will end in febrauary, but even including this i am left with just £26 a week to live on,
from this i have to feed myself and my son and put money in my gas metre an pay £5 a week tv lisence
i have my water rates, electric and social fund loan taken out of my benefits an none will lessen the amount i pay each week. the electric are taking £31 a week from me!
i just cant manage on this and have told the dss that is is not enough for me an my son,
does anyone know what else i can do please as i have asked the electric water an social fund loan to be reduced with out success.
i would be grateful for any advice..

black-saturn

Can your song claim Job Seekers Allowance or Income Support. Go back to the DSS and see someone in person. They can't expect anyone to live off such a small amount. There might be someone on here with better advice than me. Good luck!!

viktory

Perhaps your son could get a job and help support the family?? I am in exactly the same situation with my daughter. I have told her in no uncertain terms that she is to get a job. There is plenty of work out there for those that are willnig to get their hands dirty (so to speak) and with Christmas coming up there will be lots of seasonal and temporary work available.

Further courses should be put on hold until your financial situation eases somewhat.

Vicky

margaretclare

Hi

The Benefits Agency will have done this because your son is no longer in full-time education (has decided not to return to college) therefore it is assumed that he's now part of the working population and will therefore be paying you towards his keep.

When I was still going to CAB I saw a very nice man who was at his wits' end - he was a disabled widower and the same thing had happened to him. The son had left school/college but was refusing point-blank to do anything about getting a job. I also had another enquiry from a man whose 17-yr old son had refused to go to school or college or to get a job and in addition, was violent. This man wanted to force his son to leave home but son wouldn't do that either.

It's very difficult to know what to do or say in these situations because the answer to the problem is not with the Benefits Agency but with the son!

Aunty Margaret

victorianne

make an appointment with the dss and see if there is anything you might be able to claim.listening to radio 2 this week there was a woman from the benefits agency going on about surplus money that people don't realise they can claim for.

black-saturn

Good luck. I think he can claim JSA until he gets a job and should pay you keep out of it.

Kimberley

The Electricity firm are taking way too much a week from you, all i pay is about £10 every two weeks..

black-saturn

Yeh I didnt notice that. I pay £13 a month!!

Curry_Queen

Have you had recent meter readings and an up-to-date statement from your electric provider? If not then i would phone them first thing tomorrow and request one, giving them the readings yourself if you have to! There's no way you should be paying £31 a week from your benefits and it's often the case that they continue taking the money long after your debt has been paid off, so you may even find they owe you money!

If you find you do still owe them some money (I'm assuming this is an old debt?) then why not request to have a pre-payment meter fitted? Usually they only take around £5 a week, or less, on top of your normal electric usage which shouldn't be much more than £5 a week anyway if there's just you and your son in say a 2 bed house/flat.

You say your disability money (DLA?) will end in February ... is this pending a renewal claim, and is there any reason to think you won't re-qualify if so? You might want to start thinking about that soon as they will no doubt be sending you the forms in the next month or so.

If your son is signed on with Connexions they will be able to help him find training/work and they will arrange interviews and sort out his references etc. I don't think, given his age, he will be entitled to JSA as school leavers only qualify in exceptional circumstances as far as I remember and are usually expected to either attend college or find work, but I won't swear to that without checking


Good luck and I hope you manage to get something sorted out very soon!

Curry_Queen

I just checked up about JSA and school leavers, as I'd hate to think I gave you any wrong info, but it seems I was right unless your son falls into one of these categories ...


Jobcentre Plus
16 and 17 year olds

If you are aged 16 or 17 you are unlikely to have worked for long enough since reaching age 16 to pay enough NI contributions to get contribution-based JSA.

If you are an unemployed 16 or 17 year old you may be able to get income-based JSA for a short period in special circumstances. For example, if one of the following applies:

• You are forced to live away from your parents
• You will suffer severe hardship if you do not get JSA
• You are a member of a couple who has responsibility for a child.

... but the advisors at Connexions will be able to tell him whether he qualifies and will help him fill in the forms etc if he does.

LizzieT84

The electricity payment is too high. Can you not switch provider if you've got an outstanding amount to your existing supplier? Also, £5 per week for the TV seems a lot. Did you not pay for your license? The problem with not paying bills is that eventually they're going to catch up with you. Believe it or not people can and do feed themselves on £5 per week.

Buy store-brand bread if needs be. It's better than many of the more expensive breads (perhaps not as good as Warbutons toastie though).

Here is a cheap (but very tasty) lentil soup recipe which will mean that you eat well and don't go hungry. A big pot is really cheap to cook and will last for days. It makes lovely thick, healthy and tasty soup which will give you all the nutrition you need.

---

Healthy, Hearty and Tasty Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

2 Mugs of Red Split Lentils (Best soaked in water over night, but not essential)
1 Large Onion
1 Large Potato
6 Large Carrots = 800g
2 tsp (10ml) medium curry powder
4 Stock Cubes (Chicken, Ham or Vegetable)
4 to 6 pints of water
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Dice vegetables into small pieces and along with all other ingredients
put into a large stockpot. Crumble the stock cubes in and be
quite generous with the black pepper and curry powder, especially
in winter. Be careful not to add too much water at first as you
can always add more water later if it's too thick put you can't
take it out if it is too watery. You will be able to add more
water the 2nd day as it usually thickens overnight... many
people prefer the taste of 2nd day soup.

This soup is best blended so the flavours can mix with each other best.

Serve with either garlic bread as a side dish or put pieces of bread
or croutons into the soup when you eat it.

---

Lizzie