any idea when the new rules for claiming benefits start?????

Mrs_pbradley936

I agree that 12 is old enough to be left alone for a couple of hours a day. However the point I want to make is that the OP and others like her ought not to be blamed for a situation not of their making. It is government policies which have encouraged the current situation and all the vitriol currently aimed a benefit recipients ought to be aimed at politicians.

A young woman of my acquaintance had a child and was living with her mother. She had a Job in the local Asda and her mother looked after the child when she was working. Then she was offered her own Council house because the mother’s house was not big enough (this girl being the oldest of a couple of brothers and sisters). Mother offered to still have the child while the girl kept her job since they all lived locally. The girl was told that if she kept her job they would not pay her housing or Council Tax benefit. So she left! The rest of us are keeping her and her child in full. It is the system that I blame and not this girl.

reactor_3

uolypool wrote: »

Hi anyone know when the new rule of everyone needs to do something in return for your benefit is starting.I get income support as a single mum and whilst i have absolutely no objections to working i do feel that this is going to incourage what i was whilst growing up a latch key teenager thats the last thing i want for my teenage sons and daughter

Hi, as far as I can see nobody has yet answered your question about when the rules start.
I beleive they will not start for a while, at the moment it is a 'white paper' something which must go through parlimant before it becomes laws.
I have seen estimates of the date of 2010-2011.

"The bill is expected in January and will be debated by MPs next year. Mr Purnell has said the measures, if passed, will be in place by 2010/11. "

So it will be much debated and can be modified, the rules they come up with in the end will probaly be a more reasonable than the newspaper headlines.
It the rules are too stupid they will have trouble getting people to vote for them.
So you will have some time to see what the new rules will actuallly be.

shazrobo

karenw wrote: »

What are the new rules for single parents with disabled children and whome are carers?

i rang my job centre as i have two disabled children at special schools, that are shorter hours than mainstream schools, and also i have to be available during the day, in case school needs me to collect one or the other.
anyway, the advice was, if you receive carer's allowance, then you are not technically unemployed, as you are careing, so therefore the new rules dont affect us
sorry for waffle, got there in end lol

tink_the_stink

Hi I'm one of the lucky Lone Parent advisers that working in JCP having to cope with all the changes that are happening.

The changes went through parliment & began on 27.11.08 any new Lone Parent with youngest child age 12 or over no longer had entitlement to Income Support solely as a Lone Parent, other benefits open for them to claim are JSA or ESA.

Existing Lone Parents already claiming Income Support will eventually have their Income Support stopped & they will have to choose between finding work to support their family or claim another benefit.

These changes start 02.03.09 for parents with children age 14 & 15, everyone will be invited into JCP to discuss the way forward.

From July (can't remember exact date) we will then look at parents with children 12 & 13.

We then then start inviting parents with children aged 10 & 11 back end 2009 beginning 2010, then moving to children aged 9, 8 & 7, 2010/2011.

Lone Parents who claim Carers Allowance will remain with New Deal for Lone Parents will still attend Work Focus Interviews as they already do becuase they can still work & claim Carers Allowance as long as wage doesn't exceed £95pwk unless they use childcare which can be taken into account & it doesn't have to be registered childcare but can not be a family member, there is also some relaxations for Foster Carers.

As for not being able to leave a 12yr old alone, please have a look on DirectGov.com, I use this all the time & it clearly states it is not an offence to leave a mature 12yr old alone whilst you go to work although you can not leave them alone at night.

I'm a Lone Parent myself have been for 11yrs was lucky enough to have great parents who helped with childcare when I needed it but now my son is 14 & since he went to Secondary School 3 yrs ago he arrives home a good 3 hrs before I do....can you believe he finishes school at 2.30pm!

A bit of trust in your children is a great confidence builder for them & can only help them grow into well rounded adults.

If you have any queries about the changes that will affect your future benefit just speak to an adviser we can even tell you the exact date your Income Support will end if you child is 12 or over at moment which should give you time to decided what you need to do now.

Hope this helps but please PM if any further questions although won't have answers at home can always check at work & get back

sharski

Hi Tink the Stink...

And I'm a lucky DASO.... so together, we've just about got this covered!!!

pipkin71

tink_the_stink wrote: »

As for not being able to leave a 12yr old alone, please have a look on DirectGov.com, I use this all the time & it clearly states it is not an offence to leave a mature 12yr old alone whilst you go to work although you can not leave them alone at night.

As it stands, there is no set age when you can legally leave children home alone.

However, if you leave your 12 year old at home, and the child comes to harm, then technically the parent can be prosecuted, because it is an offence if by leaving them alone they are at risk.

Now, this is where it's difficult, because you have to determine whether your 12 year old is mature enough to be left on their own. Even if you decide that they are, if something happened and they were hurt as a result, you could still be prosecuted if the police disagreed with your decision to leave the child alone.

Many parents feel it is ok to leave their 12 year old alone for a few hours, and I think as parents only we can know whether our own children are mature enough.

rachnbri

An ex LP adviser (but still very much involved in the changes) here too!!

laurenjs88

I haven't read all 3 pages but my 2 cents as a lone parent. Any child aged 12, except with maybe disabilities, should be able to get themselves up, fed and off to school alone, and also back from school and in the house alone, alot of kids can cook at this age.

We wrap kids up to much, i doubt that the crime is much different now, its just made more widely available with our current media.

tink_the_stink

Sharski don't envy your job our DASO are pulling hair out!

Pipkin71 yes it is the decision of the parent on whether or not they think there child is mature enough but as many people have already mentioned can easily work school hours if not happy leaving before & after school, 10-2 4hrs a day 5 days a week = 20 hrs bobs your uncle......unfortunatley not all jobs fall between these hours.....yes I do realise this I do live in the real world but Lone Parents have to realise that their children need some responsiblities themselves & how many teenagers really want their parents home all the time, give them space to grow, they might just surprise you!

pipkin71

tink_the_stink wrote: »

Sharski don't envy your job our DASO are pulling hair out!

Pipkin71 yes it is the decision of the parent on whether or not they think there child is mature enough but as many people have already mentioned can easily work school hours if not happy leaving before & after school, 10-2 4hrs a day 5 days a week = 20 hrs bobs your uncle......unfortunatley not all jobs fall between these hours.....yes I do realise this I do live in the real world but Lone Parents have to realise that their children need some responsiblities themselves & how many teenagers really want their parents home all the time, give them space to grow, they might just surprise you!

I'm not questioning any of the suggestions to work during school hours ect, my post was regarding the decision to leave a 12 year old alone. Many will be mature enough, some wont and it is for the parents to decide.

My 11 year old is mature enough to be left alone, and has been. My 10 year old isn't, although thst may change when she is 12. I will determine as and when if she is mature enough, and will not be leaving it for her to surprise me!

Edited to add: My DD is only 10, and I would hope that by the time she reaches 12, the level of her maturity would not come into question, and she would be able to stay home alone, however, I would still base my decision on my opinion rather than leaving her and hoping for the best, as whilst she may surprise me, I wouldn't want to be in the position where it was a nasty surprise rather than a pleasant one.