Living on £110 a month

fatbelly

I just put your situation into a befefits checker - on your figures you should be getting £47.93 pw tax credits - that's £42.98 CTC and £4.95 WTC. You need to check your award notice cos something is wrong.

If you rented, you would almost certainly get some help with housing benefit but maybe just miss out on Council tax Benefit.

skintchick

jenny22 wrote:

hi.

we have as follows each month:
__IN__

1k - OH wages
£110 -child benefit and child tax credit

__OUT___

£150 - loan for car
£250 - rent split between both sets of parents to cover bills and some food
£50 - car insurance
£200-£300 - overdraft payment
£200 - petrol sometimes a little less
£20 - mobile phone top up (10 quid each)

What else do you have to pay? Those outgoings add up £870 (I think - it's early!) so that leaves you with spare, but you haven't put down food for a start.


Sorry to be a pain but it is hard to help without all the figures. x

jenny22_2

fatbelly wrote:

I just put your situation into a befefits checker - on your figures you should be getting £47.93 pw tax credits - that's £42.98 CTC and £4.95 WTC. You need to check your award notice cos something is wrong.

If you rented, you would almost certainly get some help with housing benefit but maybe just miss out on Council tax Benefit.

because the government work the tax credits out on the earnings of the year before and because i was still working. that is why our tax credits are so low.

we have looked into privately renting but to rent a 1 bed flat you are looking at £450 (for a box) up to £700 (for a bigger box that not too bad) and a 1 bed house is around the same price but they are so small you cant swing a cat. those prices are for a month without any bills, or extra payments. the other problem is most estate agents want about £1,200 off you for checks and references before they give you the keys which we really dont have.

black-saturn

bizzy_lizzie wrote:

lynzpower wrote:

By law no housing dept is allowed to place mother and child in a hostel or B&B for more than 6 weeks, after this date you will get moved to a self-contained flat. you may need to move again, but it wil be furnished.

I was in a hostel for the homeless with 2 children aged 7 and 5 for 6 months and a friend of mine with a 4 and 2 year old have been in one for 2 years and still waiting.

lynzpower

black-saturn wrote:

bizzy_lizzie wrote:

lynzpower wrote:

By law no housing dept is allowed to place mother and child in a hostel or B&B for more than 6 weeks, after this date you will get moved to a self-contained flat. you may need to move again, but it wil be furnished.

I was in a hostel for the homeless with 2 children aged 7 and 5 for 6 months and a friend of mine with a 4 and 2 year old have been in one for 2 years and still waiting.

If you want any help sorting this out then do PM me. It is a direct contravention of the law to be in a hostel or B&B for any longer than 6 weeks now. It used to be different, but the law changed last year.

liney

If your earnings are different from last year you need to inform Tax Credits. They use last years earnings as a guide, but when i lost 10k income by working part time they used my current years salary to calculate. Im sure they should do the same for you.

charlotte46

Hi

I just wanted to say hello and say that i can't believe the situation that you have been forced in. I don't know if you've PM the people who have offered to help you on this site but I urge you too as they seem to know what to do.

Also keep logging onto this site as the advice that people give is great.

Your relationship seems strong so please don't give up and I'm sure you will get there.

:A

livilou

with regards to the tax credits as our situation has changed I have always informed tax credits and they have adjusted it immediately. they may be basing your reward on last years salary but if you inform them of your income now your tax credit reward should be amended.

I know many people have problmes with tax credits but fingers crossed ours have alwasy been amended accordingly as I have kept them updated when hubby was out of work and then again when his salary has increased.


good luck.

x

Alleycat

lynzpower wrote:

Well, thats not strictly true Jenny, altho its a common misconception - prob given to you by your housing department .

If your mother or father writes a letter to the housing dept ( giving you the letter, you take it down there) saying that they are no longer willing to have you and your little un living there, and that they will be evicting you onto the streets in 7 days. Give that letter to the housing officer, and make a request for temporary accomodation. By law no housing dept is allowed to place mother and child in a hostel or B&B for more than 6 weeks, after this date you will get moved to a self-contained flat. you may need to move again, but it wil be furnished.

Hi, sorry to jump in, but thought I should just point out that although the ODPM have ordered that families do not remain in bed and breakfast accommodation for longer than 6 weeks, they can be in a hostel for longer than this time. I know it is not ideal but with the massive shortages in local authority and housing association accommodation across the country this is what is happening.

Jenny, have you looked into whether you would be entitled to Housing and Council Tax benefit if you and your husband moved into your own flat? This might help (at least a bit) aleviate the financial difficulties you are currently experiencing.

I hope you get it sorted!

jenny22_2

hi all, thanks to all of you for your support and advice. my other half is digging out his pay slips so we can work out his earnings so i can get our tax credits changed. as from the end of april me and my little girl will be homeless as my folks are kicking us out so lets hope the local housing department can find us somewhere.