benefit advice please

julianclary

Hi all

At the moment i am a single parent with 3 kids and i work part time 21 hours a week and have help with paying my childcare.

My partner lives with his parents but has just been made redundant so has no job and has just signed on for job seekers.

If he was to move in with me would he still be able to claim JSA? if yes how much? - presumably this would also affect my current tax credits and housing/council tax benefit too.

I have looked at entitledto and entered in all the possible scenarios and how would be better off but i think staying in our current situation is for the best at least til he gets a job of some sort.

If he moves in then i will get no help paying for my boys to go to nursery which they love and i cant afford that out of my wages even if i went full time. But then if he is lucky enough to find a job in the next few weeks and i have taken them out of nursery then will have to find childcare again for them after possibly loosing their places they have now.

Any advice much appreciated thanks

alwaysonthego_2

You need to be specific with what type of JSA he is claiming, is it income based or contributory?

Also when you class him as your partner does he;
spend lots of time with you (holidays, stopping over the night)?
contribute financially to your household
The father of your children?

The reason why I am asking these questions is for benefit purposes you could be classed as being a couple even though you live apart.

julianclary

Hiya

I'm not sure what it is just yet, he only had his initial interview on thursday but he has always worked full time

He is the father of my children but he does not stay over at all, and also does not contribute financially towards my household or to the children - his job before was not bringing in a lot sometimes only just £700 a month after doing 50 hours a week! he was not paid an hourly rate, but a bonus scheme where he got paid on what work he done - in turned out he was probably getting paid less than the minimum wage but thats a whole other issue.

Anyway, the long and short of it was we cant afford to live together - he was barely able to pay his own bills and debts and transport etc, but when he did have some extra cash he might have got them some new shoes if they were needed.

krisskross

julianclary wrote: »

Hiya

I'm not sure what it is just yet, he only had his initial interview on thursday but he has always worked full time

He is the father of my children but he does not stay over at all, and also does not contribute financially towards my household or to the children - his job before was not bringing in a lot sometimes only just £700 a month after doing 50 hours a week! he was not paid an hourly rate, but a bonus scheme where he got paid on what work he done - in turned out he was probably getting paid less than the minimum wage but thats a whole other issue.


Anyway, the long and short of it was we cant afford to live together - he was barely able to pay his own bills and debts and transport etc, but when he did have some extra cash he might have got them some new shoes if they were needed.

How the hell do we let a bloke who has fathered 3 children with the same woman get away with paying nothing for their upkeep?

And how can you possibly describe yourself as single when you are obviously anything but? What a stupid load of taxpayers we are.

alwaysonthego_2

julianclary wrote: »

Hiya

I'm not sure what it is just yet, he only had his initial interview on thursday but he has always worked full time

He is the father of my children but he does not stay over at all, and also does not contribute financially towards my household or to the children - his job before was not bringing in a lot sometimes only just £700 a month after doing 50 hours a week! he was not paid an hourly rate, but a bonus scheme where he got paid on what work he done - in turned out he was probably getting paid less than the minimum wage but thats a whole other issue.

Anyway, the long and short of it was we cant afford to live together - he was barely able to pay his own bills and debts and transport etc, but when he did have some extra cash he might have got them some new shoes if they were needed.

I am going to be straight with you, so please don't get upset ok.

Why does he not contribute regulary towards the keep of his children?

Why would you not be able to afford to live together? Plenty of families live on next to nothing but they are facing life together, united. Children do need stability (not suggesting you don't give your kids that) and they love their parents living under the same roof.

If he moved in you could claim wtc, ctc, cb and you may get help with your rent and council tax if you are on a low income. If he was entitled to con based Jsa he would continue to recieve it.

TBH I think that you would be viewed as being a couple and you need to get expert advice from the CAB.

DaisyFlower

julianclary wrote: »

Hi all

At the moment i am a single parent with 3 kids and i work part time 21 hours a week and have help with paying my childcare.

My partner lives with his parents but has just been made redundant so has no job and has just signed on for job seekers.

If he was to move in with me would he still be able to claim JSA? if yes how much? - presumably this would also affect my current tax credits and housing/council tax benefit too.

I have looked at entitledto and entered in all the possible scenarios and how would be better off but i think staying in our current situation is for the best at least til he gets a job of some sort.

If he moves in then i will get no help paying for my boys to go to nursery which they love and i cant afford that out of my wages even if i went full time. But then if he is lucky enough to find a job in the next few weeks and i have taken them out of nursery then will have to find childcare again for them after possibly loosing their places they have now.

Any advice much appreciated thanks

You're not a single parent though are you, you are in a relationship with the father of your three children so claiming as a single parent is wrong.

Not sure why you are waiting until he is in employment until you move in together, he was in employment before and you didnt live together then.

There is definately something wrong with our system when you can still claim "single" benefits despite going on to have more children by the same father.

Loopy_Girl

krisskross wrote: »

How the hell do we let a bloke who has fathered 3 children with the same woman get away with paying nothing for their upkeep?

And how can you possibly describe yourself as single when you are obviously anything but? What a stupid load of taxpayers we are.

Do you know what KK, me and you have locked horns on a few occassions but I wholeheartedly agree with you here - it's bloody appalling.

This OP is exactly the kind of 'single parent' that gives us decent hardworking single parents a bad name of nothing but state scroungers hence why I get on my soap box sometimes as I am damn sure I am not in the league of lone parents like this OP. I work bloody hard 2 jobs combined to full time hours but would never deny a family life for the sake of money - have a chat with yourself.

You're living apart OP and denying your children the chance of a normal family life for the sake of a few pounds. Count yourself lucky that you have that support and you should bloody well make best of the situation like every other family - lone or not - is doing these days.

Jesus, I am so sodding angry now....yet another poster who has stoked the fire of the single parent bashing brigade (not a direct dig at you KK I can assure you, I'm meaning in general)

black_paw

LG and CC i agree with you both well said

Felicity

Sorry but the more posts I read of this nature, the more I am convinced that people sign up just to wind up the regular posters on here.

Fran

***Boardguide comment***

OP please start another thread if you have any more questions.