Widow with Children Benefits

PM

Hi, a friend of mine lost her husband to cancer a year ago, I was wanting to help her and make sure shes getting all benefits she can and wether its worth while her working full time as alot of stress.

She works full time at care home and her kids are 7, 5 and 3.
She works 20 Hours a week and gets Child tax benefit, Child tax credit.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you.

Mum2twins98

PM wrote: »

Hi, a friend of mine lost her husband to cancer a year ago, I was wanting to help her and make sure shes getting all benefits she can and wether its worth while her working full time as alot of stress.

She works full time at care home and her kids are 7, 5 and 3.
She works 20 Hours a week and gets Child tax benefit, Child tax credit.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you.

Hi if she works full time it would be more than 20hours my partner works full time which is 30 hours plus .. is she getting help with rent and council tax which is all i can think of for her is shes getting a wage tax credits and child benefit, even then she may not qualify but maybe worth having a look

Indie_Kid

I believe there's a single parent element on child / working tax credits.

Is she still planning on working?

kingfisherblue

She might qualify for LHA/HB. As the only adult in the house, she should get a single person's discount (25%). She might also get council tax benefit, depending on her earnings.

Your friend might qualify for working tax credit if she earns below about £17,000 (and I imagine she probably does). Child tax credits can help to cover the cost of registered childcare.

If she decides not to work, she would receive income support, child tax credits (but nothing for childcare), child benefit. Her council tax would be paid. If she rents, she would get HB or LHA. If the house has a mortgage, interest is paid but there might be a qualifying period. The children would get free school meals and in some areas there is a uniform grant.

Under new rules, your friend would be expected to look for work when her youngest is seven years old (it's currently ten, but the age will reduce to seven later this year).

The Job Centre can do a calculation to work out whether she is better off financially in work or on benefits.

Indie_Kid

kingfisherblue wrote: »

If the house has a mortgage, interest is paid but there might be a qualifying period.

13 weeks.

Child benefit would stay the same - child tax credits & working tax credits would increase. (but like KFB said - she won't get the childcar element of working tax credit)

G51shopaholic

She should go speak to a benefit advisor - did she get widows' £2000 payment?
I don't know if she'd also be entitled to widows' benefit.

Best for her to go to citizens advise or make appointment with local advisor at the benefit office - that's what they are there for!

bunny999

If her husband paid enough NI she should be getting widowed parents allowance. She can also claim CTC, WTC and CB.

Rikki

Did she get any life insurance money from her husband insurance policy?
Was there a payment plan in place to cover the mortgage if there have a mortgage that is?

I second her making an appointment with citizen advise or an advisor at the benefits office. It will be easier than people her trying to offer advice when they don't know the full story.