I have just split from hubby..What am I entitled to?? Need advice

consnmattsmom

My husband has just moved out at the moment temporarily however if this does become a permanent split I am not sure what to do.

We have 2 children and a considerable amount of debt. We have a loan of 14000 322.50 per month, I have loan in my name for 1500 83.55 per month and cc with balance of 4000.

We own our own home and due to drop in prices would end up in negative equity if we sold. He can afford to keep house on by himself but I cant. I am willing to move with the children to council property or privately rented. If I rent privately can I claim housing benefit if I am not working?

I work 25 hrs a week but a friend has told me to drop to 16 as I would be better off or even better off if I gave up my job altogether. Working 25 hrs a week I bring home £750 per month.

I currently work evenings so have no childcare so would have to get daytime hours if possible.

Can someone advise me please??

bargainbird

If you gave up your job, you would be able to claim Housing/Council Tax benefit (If renting), Getting a council house is easier said than done, private rented would be eaiser. You would also get income support for yourself and 2 children aswell as tax credits.

If you stayed working then would be pay a proportion of rent/council tax.Most local councils have a section ' Am i eligable for benefit' You can put all your income etc in and it gives you a rough estimate.

As for your debt's you would need to write to them and explain lack of money etc. and offer minimal payment. Alternatively once you have got a new home you could consider bankruptcy (make sure it dosen't affect your tenancy aggreemant first).

I can't be of anymore help i'm afriad, but hope it helps.

consnmattsmom

Thanks.

I have just been onto the council website and it says if I wasnt working I would get 114.00 pw housing benefit and 20.00 pw council tax benefit.

Would i still get income support on top of that and if so how much?

parisjordana

Also I may be wrong in saying this but I know someone who has just tried and tried to get a privately rented house and shes on her own with two little girls and doesnt work no-one would take her on as the letting agencies dont like anyone on benefits or going to have housing benefit going into the houses of their clients, she worked out if she got a job that she would need to earn £2100 a month to get a £700 a mth house as the agency were stating that you needed to earn 3x the amount of rent a month to pass the checks.Not sure if any of this is correct as havnt needed to go along this route myself just thought I would tell you about how my friend is getting on,I may be wrong and she have had a bad agency hopefully someone will come along and help you more....her husband left her a year ago and now wants the house back for him and new partner or sell the house....best of luck....

scooby1001

As paris has said above getting private rented accommodation is not easy. My ex husband works but is in a low paid job. No private letting place would accept him because he did not earn enough money. The council would be your first port of call but again getting council housing these days is also hard. Owning your own home is going to make it more difficult but if you can prove to them that you would be unable to afford to keep living in it after you split they should accept you as un-intentionally homeless. It is a case of not taking no for an answer(cos you will get no as an answer) they just say it to get you off their back in the hope you will find alternative accommodation.

consnmattsmom

Oh dear didnt think it would be so difficult to find somewhere to live. Especially private rented places.

At least hubby is being amicable at the mo and saying he will live elsewhere while we have trial sep and then if it doesnt work out that we can stay til we get somewhere.

If poss I would like to think that I can keep my job on and just do 16 hrs but I need to find childcare in the family as children are going thru enough without having to stay with strangers.

Oldernotwiser

Although you and your husband are separating, surely he'll still be available to look after the children in the evenings while you work?

krisskross

Can you still get HB if you are part owner of another property?

consnmattsmom

Its part of the break up that he doesnt want to look after kids while I am at work.

Not sure about hb if own another prop but if that was case would just look to signing house over to hubby as no equity in it at the mo.

Maybe I should go CAB.

Oldernotwiser

consnmattsmom wrote: »

Its part of the break up that he doesnt want to look after kids while I am at work.

Not sure about hb if own another prop but if that was case would just look to signing house over to hubby as no equity in it at the mo.

Maybe I should go CAB.

You can't just sign it over to him unless he earns enough for your lender to be prepared for him to take on the whole loan on his own.

It doesn't sound as though your husband is being very amicable at the moment if he's refusing to look after his children so that you can work!

tinky37

Having recently been through a similar thing, I would advise you to go to the CAB asap. I am renting privately and the council are paying roughly two thirds of the rent and about half my council tax. When calculating your benefit they take all your income into account including maintenance, tax credits and child benefit. I would warn you it took about 4 months for them to agree my housing benefit and I had to chase them every week. Think about housing associations too. They are more helpful than the council. Also google houses for rent privately in your area. Some people don't go through an agent and are willing to take on people on HB. It is the agencies who don't like it. Make sure you write to all your creditors now.

Hope this helps - good luck!