Would i get help?

bestpud

Best way is to call them and they take your details over the phone and make you an appointment in JCP to sort the paperwork, but your claim will start from the day you made the call.

They will ask if you want them to send you a housing benefit/LHA application but it will be quicker if you download one from your local council website and take it to the council office yourself. The start date for that will be the Monday after you get the form in, assuming it is the same everywhere.

They won't ask why you have left work, or if they do, it is fine to say you are stopping work to look after your child. They won't penalise you or even try and talk you out of it - they are very unlikely to even ask.

It will be easier to get your income support etc sorted before starting a course as the last thing you need on starting something like that is a load of hassle with forms and trips to JCP. It is usually straight forward but you can't guarantee it will be!

Don't forget to let tax credits know when you stop working too.

Good luck with it - have you seen the careers advisor yet?

bestpud

karenx wrote: »

Were you not getting the childcare element of tax credits? That would of paid 80% of your childcare for you.
Yes apply for income support if you are not working, you need to call up and the call will take about 45mins and they will go through everything with you. Previous job details, your child benefit number, rent details, are you owed any money- ie last wage etc.
Then they will make an appointment for you to go in and check over the forms and sign them so you are confirming everything on the forms is correct, and they will check your ID

And no the reason that you work is to provide for you and your child and not the government. Sometimes your better off and sometimes you arent, but surly the independance is better for you and the time to work on your career etc and try make something of your life.
And yes I have been there before as a single parent on IS and I 100% prefer working. Once working I got time to myself, managed to have adult conversations for a change, meet new people and also know that the money that went into my bank was money I had earned!! When on IS I rarly bought anything other than food, petrol etc, but with my wages I was happy to buy new clothes etc etc!

Isn't the OP doing all that by going into education?

karenx

Yes but she was questioning why she was working in the first place??

kels182

Thanks for your comments, havn't seen the careers advisor yet.
Karenx i was merley making that comment meaning the system is wrong.