How do I get the most from DSS

mclaren_2

ilikewatchingtv wrote:

In particular I believe that a person seeking assylum in the uk is normally paid about 75% of normal income support (If paid by central government) or 70% (if paid by NASS), however I don't know a great deal about benefits, and would be interested to see your proof.

I dont understand your post? you have contridicted yourself or miss read what i put. You just said it your self. my origonal post said JSA, adn that will be about the only benifit the OP would get UNLESS the OP was claiming asylum, unable to work etc.. in THIS way, the OP would be entitled to income support, incapacity, etc.....

Fran

ilikewatchingtv wrote:

I didn't mean to suggest that the OP was trying to fraudulently claim any money, - I was merely pointing out that situations like this are often fraudulent (i.e. one half of an estranged couple says a child lives with them when this isn't true, in order to claim extra money, or in order to avoid having to actively seek work), and therefore the OP should expect his application to be looked at closely if he chose to do this.

I understand that fraud exists, but I'm not happy with the way that people refer to fraud when discussing benefits that people are entitled to or even when they make an enquiry. If someone was asking about tax at work, people wouldn't include in a reply that a lot of people evade tax! It's the association of benefits and fraud that I was picking up on, the OP is asking about possible ways of paying for his children while out of work.

I appreciate what you're saying though, but also understand how difficult it is to understand the benefit rules!

Unfortunately he seems to be in a very difficult situation as he will struggle to pay his mortgage, struggle to pay petrol to pick up and drop off his kids, and struggle to pay for food and maintain his house with the extra costs when they stay every weekend. Hopefully he has some savings to see him through until he gets another job.

black-saturn

Perhaps you should ask the child in question what they want. Would it really be good for them to be uprooted 35 miles away from their sibling, sent to a different school and be less able to see their mother?

Being 35 miles away from your children without a car is not a reason to expect more benefit for travelling expenses. There are such things as buses and trains.

Fran

black-saturn wrote:

Perhaps you should ask the child in question what they want. Would it really be good for them to be uprooted 35 miles away from their sibling, sent to a different school and be less able to see their mother?

Being 35 miles away from your children without a car is not a reason to expect more benefit for travelling expenses. There are such things as buses and trains.

The OP isn't suggesting having one child live with him, he has stated that all three children spend the weekends with him. Given that situation, he was asking what benefits he might be entitled to while unemployed given the extra cost of caring for the children.

black-saturn

Fran wrote:

The OP isn't suggesting having one child live with him

Yes he is, here:

merikiito wrote:

Is it better to transfer one of the kids to me to help my claim? But make the difference up to ex missus that she would be losing and keep the extra

Fran

merikiito wrote:

My 3 kids stay with me all weekends but I do not get child allowance for them so cannot claim any extra for them. ..............................................................

What benefits can I get?
Is it better to transfer one of the kids to me to help my claim?

I read this as 3 kids stay all weekends with OP. Can he transfer benefits.

merikiito

black-saturn wrote:

Perhaps you should ask the child in question what they want. Would it really be good for them to be uprooted 35 miles away from their sibling, sent to a different school and be less able to see their mother?

Being 35 miles away from your children without a car is not a reason to expect more benefit for travelling expenses. There are such things as buses and trains.

Hmmm, I am 35 miles away from them and so they are less able to see me.

I did not expect help with traveling expenses or an increase in benefits because of it. All I was doing was pointing out my situation. As for using public transport, picture the following.

Get train from Northampton to Dunstable. Train to Euston, Tube to Kings Cross, Train to Luton, bus to Dunstable as no train station. Collect 3 boys plus luggage and do return journey. Need to be in Dunstable at 4pm and do return journey back bearing in mind this is Friday afternoon. Repeat all this on Sunday evening. Do you want me to see my kids or spend hours on the train?
Have a guess to the time this takes and the cost and let me know if this is cheap!!!!

Taxi to Dunstable and back £80 x2 £160 for the weekend

Bus to Dunstable, now you are having a laugh!!!

Thanks everybody else for their sensible advice. And yes I am activley looking for work and hope not to be unemployed for too long.

EasilyAggravated

after all these have done ranting about whats morally right and wrong. id suggest speak to your ex. see what she thinks about it. then go to the job centre and explain to them. they are there to help. i dont see it as fraud. what you people are forgetting is that the OP is the father of these kids. he has as much right as their mother does. if he chooses to have one live with him im sure it wouldnt just be for the reason of getting extra benefit. get off your bleeding high horses and help him. dont judge him. hes done nothing wrong and wouldnt be doing anything wrong if he claimed extra benefit when one of his kids was living with him.

singlehouseholder

It would be a huge shame to split the children up.Especialy if its just to help with the costs of seeing them. The thought of being a child and having seperated parents, then having one of my siblings living with my seperated parent, would cause great distress. It seems as if the ex's is amicable- why dont you ask her to help you out, until you find yourself another job. After all, she gets the child beneift, tax credit and her bloke is working, surely she could say look, you're having the kids this weekend here's X-amount of money towards the kids meal/travel expenses.Or could she not drop kids off for you / or you could meet them halfway,could your ex put the kids on one end of the train/bus/coach(obviously depending on their ages and maturity.)then you meet them at the other end?
You've never mentioned whether you pay any Child Support ?? If so, you should contact them to have it re-aassesed, this should free some income up for you to be able to afford to visit your kids, and have them stay with you. I really hope you get things sorted out without having to spilt the kids up, that would be hugely complicated for them.