Any advice?

lynne1985

i've actually got an appointment at the job centre today to see if i can get a job without it affecting my benifits i have been thinking about going to work full time so hopefully today i will be told how better off i will be if i do get a job, i don't have any family that could take care of the kids as they all work and my gran isn't up to watching kids.

im not too sure how much interest i have on my credit card it is a standard capital one. on my monthly statement my purchase interest is 2.228% and cash withdrawl is also 2.228%. i have cancelled my payment protection on the card.

i will have a look on the moneysavingoldstyle board, thanks.

lynzpower

Good luck with your appointment Lynne, and come back to us and let us know how youve got on x

southernscouser

lynne1985 wrote:

im not too sure how much interest i have on my credit card it is a standard capital one. on my monthly statement my purchase interest is 2.228% and cash withdrawl is also 2.228%. i have cancelled my payment protection on the card.

Well done on cancelling the payment protection. :T

Thats a really high interest rate. Have you considered applying for a low life of balance transfer card? I don't know what your credit rating is like but is definately worth a go!

Mosty importantly though make sure you have stopped using the catalogues! It's so easy to rack up a debt! I know! :doh: :rotfl:

Also start a spending diary. Every day write down every penny you spend and on what. That way at the end of the month you start to realise where the "spare" money disappears to!

lynne1985

My credit rating isn't too good as iv'e not long moved into my own place, i have previously tried to get a 0% card but got declined.

At my visit to the jobcentre today i was told that i wasn't allowed to accept any payment of cash from my kids father and any payments that the csa recieve from him i wont get to see. i was also told that im allowed to earn £20 a week without it affecting my benifet.

I've to go back again on the 10th april and she will go through how better off i would be if i got a job.

calleyw

Bestthingsinlifearefree wrote:

Hi Lynne,

I don't know the implications of the father paying to support his children and whether this would result inyou losing some benefits.

But as a bloke all I can say is he should be doing everything and giving every penny he has to ensure his children have a decent start in life. That should be his only priority whether he is still with the mum or not.

Buying a few clothes here and there does not sound like he is meeting his responsibilties as a parent.

Its not just about financial support but its emotional support and all the rest of it.

I'm not having a go at you, just having a general rant at men who do not take responsibility for the kids they have brought into this world.

Anyway I would certainly ask the benefits office about whether he should be paying and if he did would this affect your benefit and how to go about getting him to cough up.

I wish you well.

I assume that the OP is seperated from the father in this case.

If you are the parent with care and are on IS then and you are on the new system for CSA you get £10 a week. No matter how much maintance the CSA say is payable. So if he pays £250 a month you will get £40 a month.

But if you are on the old system and IS you don't get nothing from the CSA.

If you are not in the CSA system then I am not sure what the rules are on the father paying maintance.

Yours

Calley

lynne1985

me and the childrens father are still together just don't live together as we are both quite young and when we spend long amounts of time together we argue, i have been on IS for 3 yrs so im not sure if the new csa rules apply to me i know i get an extra £10 on my IS when i questoned it they said it was because my son was under 1 and on his first birthday i wont recieve this anymore.

calleyw

lynne1985 wrote:

me and the childrens father are still together just don't live together as we are both quite young and when we spend long amounts of time together we argue, i have been on IS for 3 yrs so im not sure if the new csa rules apply to me i know i get an extra £10 on my IS when i questoned it they said it was because my son was under 1 and on his first birthday i wont recieve this anymore.

According the CSA website an claim for IS would trigger CSA to get invovled.

I believe that new rules came in effect about 3 years ago.

Yours


Calley

lilac_lady

You'll get a lot of help here Lynne. I'm full of admiration for the MSE folk who give lots of useful advice on this board. Try buying mainly BOGOFS and own brands when you shop and your grocery bill will reduce a lot. Tesco nappies are better than some of the more expensive named brands. Keep trying - you'll get there with a little help from your friends!

lou_lou_skinty_poos

my partner pays csa under the old rules so im well versed in the workings of the csa i was under the impression that if you claimed income suppport that you must disclose the name of the father and then the csa will chase him for money if he is on job seekers they will take 5 pound a week from his benefits. basically whateva they take from him and you will be subject to the new rules as it appears you have never contacted them they will take 20% of his wages if he has a job but you would only get £10 a week the rest of the money will go to remburse the state for your benefits.

personally i think whether ure partner is in debt is irrelivant he should be helping you out and should think himself lucky the csa arent involved as they will take his wages whether he can afford it or not!!

isgman

Hi Lynne,
you seem to be taking positive steps to get your finances under control, good luck hope that it sorts itself out quickly.