Need some help in this cold weather

crossstitchamy

Hello,

My parter and i are on income based JSA. We have not long ago just got a flat for ourselves havent moved in officially yet.
But we went there today and it was brass monkeys. didnt realise it was gonna be that cold actually. you could see my breath in the air it was that cold.
Anyway the only heating there is a gas fire and that didnt seem to be that much good when we put it on today while we were there.
So i know there is heater in argos on offer, but i'm not sure if that would be enough.
Is there anything we could be entitled to to help us not to get too cold? we're just normal people no disabilities or anything so not entitled to cold weather payments. I'm just quite concerned on how cold we will be getting we dont want to end up ill as we're paying out enough as it is with this new pad and christmas.

Also i would like a bit of advice about child benefit are they allowed to take out money for this from a joint claim as we're now getting under a £100 a week because of it.

any advice would be great thank you.

richard9991

crossstitchamy wrote: »

Hello,

My parter and i are on income based JSA. We have not long ago just got a flat for ourselves havent moved in officially yet.
But we went there today and it was brass monkeys. didnt realise it was gonna be that cold actually. you could see my breath in the air it was that cold.
Anyway the only heating there is a gas fire and that didnt seem to be that much good when we put it on today while we were there.
So i know there is heater in argos on offer, but i'm not sure if that would be enough.
Is there anything we could be entitled to to help us not to get too cold? we're just normal people no disabilities or anything so not entitled to cold weather payments. I'm just quite concerned on how cold we will be getting we dont want to end up ill as we're paying out enough as it is with this new pad and christmas.

Also i would like a bit of advice about child benefit are they allowed to take out money for this from a joint claim as we're now getting under a £100 a week because of it.

any advice would be great thank you.

are you getting child tax credit from hmrc

crossstitchamy

No, my partner doesn't even get to see his child cos of the mother, the child has turned 15.

PipsoG

How are you claiming Child Benefit if you are not the parent with care?

MrsManda

Though it is possible to receive child benefit for children who don't live with you, there are conditions attached such as:

• you are contributing towards your child's maintenance and accommodation
• you are contributing at least as much as the Child Benefit you get for your child
• the person who your child's living with hasn't claimed

So, the £100 your partner is getting should be the minimum he is contributing to the upkeep of his child. It shouldn't really be something you are living on. Is the child benefit office aware that your partner does not live with his child or see him?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCreditsandChildBenefit/Childbenefits/Gettingstarted/ChildBenefitandwhoqualifies/DG_173535

MrsManda

Have you filled out the benefits calculator on turn2us or direct.gov.uk to see what you are entitled to?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/index.htm

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

nancyo

You really should speak to someone, no heating in the winter is an awful thing for anyone! Dont buy the cheap heater from argos though it would cost to much in electricity to run it

Caz3121

crossstitchamy wrote: »

Also i would like a bit of advice about child benefit are they allowed to take out money for this from a joint claim as we're now getting under a £100 a week because of it.

Do you mean they are taking child maintenance from the JSA?

If so then it appears they can take £5 per week from this
http://www.csa.gov.uk/en/setup/benefit-income.asp

MrsManda

Caz3121 wrote: »

Do you mean they are taking child maintenance from the JSA?

If so then it appears they can take £5 per week from this
http://www.csa.gov.uk/en/setup/benefit-income.asp

That would make more sense than the OP recieving child benefit

KxMx

Try hot water bottles

cabbage

It might be cold as its not been lived in. You can apply for a crisis loan, budgeting loan, community care grant and look at warmfront. Some low income families get help with insulation too.