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Benefit during a crisis

My daughter has left her husband as his son aged 15 (her stepson) is totally out of control, being excluded permanently from school for persistent sexual harrasment of other pupils and attcking staff. His father will not discipline him in any way, but takes him out to nightclubs and rewards all his appalling behaviour by buying him off with expensive gadgets. He has been virtually 'written off' by the education authorities.
The couple have a daughter of just 3 and my daughter has found it impossible to live in the same house as her stepson due to fear of what he might do to the child. The Social Worker involved with the family fully supports my daughter's decision as the only possible one.
Using some of my savings I have purchased a 'log cabin' as a home for her and our granddaughter in our garden and they moved in last week. I thought that she and the child would be better living near us than in social housing.
Our daughter works at the Nursery her child attends earning £190 per month. Today she visited the Job Centre and was informed that she is entitled to £60 per week in benefit but that as she earns more than that sum she was entitled to no payment at all. There is no provision for child care. The child's fees at the Nursery are actually more than the £190 she earns. She also has £13.50 a week in child benefit and this will be her sole income.
I run a B & B business in my home to eke out my pension, but this is only a small business. I am 74 years old and my wife 67.
Can anyone tell us what we should do or if there are additional benefits that she was not offered.
«1

Comments

  • mealone
    mealone Posts: 527 Forumite
    500 Posts
    If she informs the child benefit section her child benefit should go up to £20 for your grandaughter because she is her first child in her (new) household.
  • calleyw
    calleyw Posts: 9,896 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    she needs to let Tax credits know. She needs to submit a new claim as being single. And that she needs to claim for child care.

    Yours


    Calley
    Hope for everything and expect nothing!!!

    Good enough is almost always good enough -Prof Barry Schwartz

    If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try -Seth Godin
  • Zara33
    Zara33 Posts: 5,441 Forumite
    1,000 Posts
    Agree with calley your daughter should claim tax credits, and child care costs. Also the father should support their child by paying child support.
    Hit the snitch button!
    member #1 of the official warning clique.
    :D:j:D
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  • calleyw
    calleyw Posts: 9,896 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Zara33 wrote: »
    Agree with calley your daughter should claim tax credits, and child care costs. Also the father should support their child by paying child support.

    Forgot to mention child support.

    Glad to see someone else is on the ball:rotfl:

    Yours


    Calley
    Hope for everything and expect nothing!!!

    Good enough is almost always good enough -Prof Barry Schwartz

    If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try -Seth Godin
  • cfnc
    cfnc Posts: 119 Forumite
    As long as she is working more than 16hrs per week she should get full child tax credit and working tax credit, childcare costs up to a limit. Child benefit at first child rate, and possibly council tax benefit if it is applicable on the type of housing. Of course she should also get some sort of maintenence for her child from the partner, also if her child is 3 she should be getting or due to get some of her nursery fees paid equivelent to 5 sessions per week of 2.5 hrs per session.

    Hope this helps,

    Kirsty
  • Oldernotwiser
    Oldernotwiser Posts: 37,425 Forumite
    cfnc wrote: »
    As long as she is working more than 16hrs per week she should get full child tax credit and working tax credit, childcare costs up to a limit.

    If she's only earning £190 per month she won't be doing 16 hours per week.
  • cfnc
    cfnc Posts: 119 Forumite
    sorry read it as per week
  • DUTR
    DUTR Posts: 12,958 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Royd wrote: »
    Using some of my savings I have purchased a 'log cabin' as a home for her and our granddaughter in our garden
    Is that legal?:eek:
  • seven-day-weekend
    seven-day-weekend Posts: 36,755 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Providing it is just used as an extra bedroom or sitting room and does not have its own services , etc, yes - it is the same as an extension to the house.
    (AKA HRH_MUngo)
    Member #10 of £2 savers club
    Imagine someone holding forth on biology whose only knowledge of the subject is the Book of British Birds, and you have a rough idea of what it feels like to read Richard Dawkins on theology: Terry Eagleton
  • calleyw
    calleyw Posts: 9,896 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    If she's only earning £190 per month she won't be doing 16 hours per week.

    I read it like that as well.

    I know jobs are bit difficult to find but she would be better off getting a job of 16 hours a week.

    As other wise no help with childcare costs I believe.



    Yours

    Calley
    Hope for everything and expect nothing!!!

    Good enough is almost always good enough -Prof Barry Schwartz

    If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try -Seth Godin
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