Staying home to look after kids - can I claim anything?

princess_leia_3

At the moment I am on mat leave and due back at work I have 3 children whos ages are - 4, 3, 8mths, I have heard on the news that single parents do not have to be forced back to work til their children re older and so I guess they are getting quite a bit in benefits to be able to do this!
My husband works 41 hrs a week and earns approx £15k (just above the wtc limit )
But if I wanted to stay at home with my children, am I able to claim anything?

I do not want to be a sponger (I have never been on jsa/is etc) but I feel that if single parents can have this entitlement than so should a parent in a couple situation - after all they are trying to keep families together!
Thanks in advance for any help, I have looked through this site and entitled but 'computer says no' so I just want to check
i am not missing something

cifpower

I doubt you would be able to claim IS because of your husband's wage but you should be able to claim Child Tax Credits

http://www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/Qualify/DIQHousehold.aspx should give you some idea

princess_leia_3

Yes, sorry I do get CTC and CB so I guess single parents get IS and so are able to stay at home

TotallyBroke

As lovely as it would be I think the anser is NO.

The only benefits you can claim are child benefit, child tax credits, working tax credits. If you qualify.
It is possible to get council tax benefit and housing benefit but you wouldn't get it with your family earnings if you don't even qualify for wtc.

princess_leia_3

Thank you, I did think that, but we would be seriously better off if we both became unemployed and just claimed everything, and that to me is totally wrong!

But thanks anyway

cw18

Unfortunately the system is biased towards single parents

I've "been there done that" as a single parent (but worked full-time from my eldest being just under 11 months old). And so has my eldest (though she was back at work before the elder one was a year old, and took less than a year out after her younger DD turned one and some major bickering between staff at work was causing her to almost have a breakdown)

I actually think the system encourages single parents to stay home too easily -- though in the current climate of job cuts, perhaps it's better there are less people chasing the few jobs that are going

Fonda_Cox

princess_leia wrote: »

I do not want to be a sponger (I have never been on jsa/is etc) but I feel that if single parents can have this entitlement than so should a parent in a couple situation

The difference is a single parent does not have a husband/wife going out to work full time and bringing home a wage!

princess_leia_3

Fonda_Cox wrote: »

The difference is a single parent does not have a husband/wife going out to work full time and bringing home a wage!

Thank you but I do realise that, they do not however, have to pay rent/council tax/mortgage/prescription charges etc which is where all my Dh's money and some ctc goes!
I am not after free money, just some help so I can look after my kids!

Fonda_Cox

princess_leia wrote: »

Thank you but I do realise that, they do not however, have to pay rent/council tax/mortgage/prescription charges etc which is where all my Dh's money and some ctc goes!
I am not after free money, just some help so I can look after my kids!

Well maybe you should have considered whether you could afford said kids before you had them

cw18

Fonda_Cox wrote: »

Well maybe you should have considered whether you could afford said kids before you had them

I think the OP has done that....

She was just wondering if there was another option open to her other than returning to work herself, as she's clearly seen a lot about the entitlements of single parents recently.

princess_leia_3

Thanks so much for your helpful posts, I am sure all the spongers with 5/6/7 kids worry about that too.......