Too little to live on .I just cant manage .

April84

Ok well from age 16 onwards the OP's child will be able to claim EMA providing they go to college,
which will contribute £30 per week more to the household, and therefore will help save her £30 per week worth of the current £100 weekly spending money.

Also if the OP is genuinely struggling to workout how to budget a weekly food/bills for 2 people, on £100 per week, she should take a look at the DFW section of this site, as there are alot of tips there on how to live on far less and how to budget.

Loopy_Girl

I'm just wondering how the OP is going to cope when their child leaves school and they are no longer entitled to child related benefits. I would have thought that at age 16, that day is not too far away

Indie_Kid

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

I'm just wondering how the OP is going to cope when their child leaves school and they are no longer entitled to child related benefits. I would have thought that at age 16, that day is not too far away

You can claim child benefits for a child up to 18 (or is it 19?) if they're in full-time education.

Loopy_Girl

That's assuming they stay in it though...it's not a given with every teenager is it?;)

[Deleted User]

mandi wrote: »

Can anyone please give me some advice .

I am in reciept of ESA awaiting appeal .

My fortnightly payment has been nearly halved to £64.54 as i am now paying gas/elec directly to cover future bills /arrears . Payments are £15 a week to each .

I receive CTC & CB for one child giving me a total of just over £100 per week for all other bills, food , etc . and TBH im really struggling .

I have contacted both Gas/elec & both say they cannot reduce the payments resulting in me falling behind with other bills .

Can anyone please advise me of the maximum amout thay can take weekly . or are the figures correct .


I would be greatful for any advice


Thank you

some gas /electric suppliers have charitable trust with funds to help people in your situation,have a trawl thru their websites

nono_2

Good luck Mandi. My ESA appeal was refused even though they had clearly made a mistake but when it went to the tribunal I had points coming out of my bum so if it's obvious to you that you should be getting it try not to worry about it too much, it sounds like you've got enough to worry about. Incidentally, I have since been awarded high rate mobility DLA so I'm in the "they just try it on" camp. Hopefully that's what they're doing to you.
Have you tried looking into any grants? There are hundreds of ones you will never have heard of, although you will probably not be eligible for 99% of them, you might just find one. My fiance is looking into one for nurses, from the below search engine, at the moment to try and get our roof fixed. Might be worth a try.

Sorry not allowed to post links so you'll have to copy/paste and remove the spaces

www. turn2us. org.uk/grants_search/search_by_topic.aspx


Good luck with whatever you do X

ChishyChoshy

nono wrote: »

Incidentally, I have since been awarded high rate mobility DLA so I'm in the "they just try it on" camp. Hopefully that's what they're doing to you.

Higher rate mobility doesn't mean you can't work, unless you're claiming people in wheelchairs cannot work. Higher rate care on the other hand is far more serious.

welshmoneylover

To the OP, can u not take on a little job, I mean maybe typing cvs or something, you seem capable of using a pc?

Perhaps your son can get a p/t job as well if things are so dire.

Take care x

MummyandPaige

If you cannot afford things like gas and electricity, then why do you have a computer and the internet?

Not meaning to have a dig, but get your priorities sorted! I have even less money than you coming in and we make do, I have 2 children under 2 to provide for.

Have you tried surveying or mystery shopping, you d not need to leave your chair to do most of them, it will probably ease things a little, it is how I justify my internet bill, £11 a month is the equivelant to one visit to the supermarket mystery shopping a month, I was going to go there anyway, anything I earn over that goes into the house pot.

Instead of trying to get more benefits, you should be trying to work out a way of supporting yourself just a little bit, it is soo much more rewarding.

All in all, over the course of a month, I probably only make about £50-60, but on a very low income, it makes a big difference.

If you want some pointers in the right direction, PM me nd I will be only too happy to help, or take a look at the Up your Income board. If your have the internet and a computer, there are plenty of ways to put it to good use, if you don't want to, then sell the computer, there is probably £100 sitting there in front of you.

nono_2

ChishyChoshy wrote: »

Higher rate mobility doesn't mean you can't work, unless you're claiming people in wheelchairs cannot work. Higher rate care on the other hand is far more serious.

No I didn't mean that. Disability is not black and white.
BTW I know how serious high rate care is, I''m doing all I can to stay off it no matter how much pain it causes me.
With respect I wasn't suggesting my comment should be a new guideline, I was talking about my particular case which I won't bore you with.