So confused

icklejulez

Possibly a simple question to someone else but...

My husband left me with 2 kids (4 & 2) in January, he's been paying bits here and there but thats about it. I applied to CSA and Income Support about 2 weeks ago as in the beginning of MAy i quit my night job through having no help with childcare. So i am a lone parent at present.

I just read somewhere on this forum about CSA payments. if i worked out my ex is to pay me £260per month (£65 a week) how much will i recieve claiming Income Support and CSA. Does claiming IS mean you get less from the CSA. If this is the case id rather not claim income support as I know i can start a day job in September but surviving till then is pretty hard.

Sorry my english is terrible today!

Thanks

Mips

Hiya


You will receive £10 a week which will top up your benefits only.

Would it be easier to cope on just his maintenance and Tax Credits for the moment?

Donedoingdebt

Firstly, if you apply to the CSA for maintenance now, there's a huge possibility that you will still have received nothing from them by September. You just have to browse through some of the threads in this forum to read the numerous complaints about delays.
Whilst on IS, your child benefit will be paid by the DWP & be included in your IS payment.
Under the current system (CS2), if your ex is assessed to pay anything over £10 per week, you will receive the first £10 & the rest will be paid back to the DWP to offset your child maintenance payments.
When CMEC (the body that is to replace the CSA) comes into force, the amount that you keep will rise to £20 initially, rising in stages to £40, although this will take some years.
When you start your day job in September, you will keep all of his maintenance payments even if you're claiming WFTC.

Loopy_Girl

Weigh up the options though. If you claim for IS then you will also be eligible for housing benefit and council tax benefit. Whilst DDD is correct and they are unlikely to get your CSA sorted by September, your £10.00pw arrears will build up but you will still get your IS and CTC now.

Something to think about.

icklejulez

Im just wondering how long it will take to get all the council tax benefits etc as i will not be able to claim should i start my new job aug/sept! I know its a sticky situation, i hate claiming benefits but i just couldnt ge tanother job to fit around my kids till this one starts. I dont understand all the in's and out's...

Kimitatsu

Hiya

First thing to do is to ring jobcentre plus and ask for an interview with a lone parent advisor. As a lone parent about to claim benefits then you are entitled to one and they can fast track your application if thats what you decide to do.

When you see them you need to ask them to do a "better off calculation" and they will tell you what you will get on benefits as opposed to what you will get from the CSA and tax credits alone. They will also tell you about all the benefits you can claim not just the ones we think we can, things such as a 4 week run on when you go back to work, grants for interviews etc etc.

They will also help you with the council tax benefit and housing benefit and once again will fast track your application - and since all the rules changed this April, you have a much better chance of getting it quickly.

In the event that it takes longer than it should they also have access to referals for things such as a crisis loan should you need it.

Good luck

icklejulez

Thanks Kimitatsu sounds really good. You'll be happy to know i applied on the phone two weeks ago but didnt know what id hear from them and they told me nothing. So i rang back today and they said i should of recieved a call back so they've sorted a few other bits out on the phone and arranged for me to see a lone parent advisor on monday morning. I will mention the things you've said here. Do i mention to the advisor about the job i can start in Aug/Sept. I know i have the job subject to referances and medical reports. As my husband left me in January i got myself in a lot of mess recently and have gas and electric bills of £800(including from last year the underpayment that they'd been charging me). They want this back at a rate of over £100 per month on top of my existing gas and electric bills. So i didnt know whether a hardship loan would be available for this. My ex also left me with £800 outstanding from last years council tax and all this needs repaying too. It really does seem that i will be paying the debts ive been left with for the rest of my life. I dont know whether workign will hep me or not as ill hav e2 lots of childcare to pay but im hoping ill manage!

Kimitatsu

Hiya

Go and see the lone parent adviser first and tell her that you may have an offer, that way she can still run the better off calculation.

As to the other debts, ring them up and tell them you are on benefits at the moment and so cannot afford to pay those amounts back. As a single parent with young children in the house they cannot cut you off and indeed have the ability to write the debt off on hardship grounds. You can find more details of these under the code of guidance on the ofgem website. I realise that the debt collectors for these companies can be strident and bullying but stand your ground and if you can start quoting the code of guidance at them - I have had large amounts (more than yours) written off or substantially reduced because of this. If you are in benefits as well you can also make an application to the trust fund that the energy and water companies run, they literally have millions to give away every year, and the only real criteria is that they pay it off and you keep up with your payments after that. This can be accessed through your local CAB money/debt team - dependant on where you live depends on the trust fund you apply to.

As for the council tax, that is a joint liability, although they will chase both of you for it. Speak to the council tax team and explain the situation - they have heard it all before and are generally very understanding. They will most likely chase your ex for it until you start work and then try to arrange a suitable payment for the portion that you owe, try to speak to them before they get a liability order and it goes to the bailiffs - its always harder to get back from them!

At the ages your children are it might be better for you to work part time rather than full time but only you can decide that when you have looked at all of the options on Monday. Bear in mind that you get working tax credits for working over 16 hours a week, and there is a supplememtary payment if you work 30 hours or more a week. You have to balance that off though against the childcare of which you can claim up to 70% back providing they are an Ofsted registered provider. Working tax credits and child tax credits do not take child maintenance into account so that would be paid in addition to those.

Do you want to do any further study? If you do then if you are on means tested benefits then many courses are free or a nominal fee, just thinking that as your eldest is 4 he will go to school next year so that eases your child care a little, but it might be an opportunity for you to update your skills if it is not worth while working just yet.

It may look pretty bleak now but it will get better!!!