What do you think? Advice re Benefits Please

planetmaker

Hi, my wife and I live together with 2 kids and have our own home.
She is registered disabled.

I earn £1650 per month (28k P/A)
We recieve child benefit, and £202 in working tax credit per month.
My wife recieves DLA, both componets combined total £390.

She cannot work bacuase of her condition.
When she finished work 3 years ago because of her condition (she was due to go in for ops) she could not claim income support because of my earnings.
As her condition has got worse she tried getting incapacity but she couldn't because she didn't have enough contributions due to the fact that they weren't being paid because she couldn't claim income support!! By this time she had not worked for 3 years.

This seems unfair to me. What do you think?

I also think the working tax credit we get is low too. Does it sound about right?

At the moment we are up to our necks in it financially becuase she cannot work - and thus are relying on just my wage so any additional funds would be very welcome.

If she could get incapacity that we could get help with other things. Getting incapacity seems to be the key.

The annoying thing is that if I moved out she would be entitled to loads of stuff. It seems so unfair, its like I am being penilised for being a father, a husband and a carer.

The system looks set up to drive families apart not keep them together.

I have even thought of moving out just to allow my wife to recieve some money as my wages just go on mortgage and bills and food and petrol.
The kids are suffering too becuase of it.

We haven't done anything wrong

I do hope someone can give me some good news.

Any help really really appreciated.

DX2

People can't claim IB anymore, if people are unable to work due to illness/disability they need to claim ESA (employment and support allowance)

How bad exactly are the debts?
You have £2242 per month coming into the household.

Mojisola

planetmaker wrote: »

Hi, my wife and I live together with 2 kids and have our own home.
She is registered disabled.

I earn £1650 per month (28k P/A)
We recieve child benefit, and £202 in working tax credit per month.
My wife recieves DLA, both componets combined total £390.

She cannot work bacuase of her condition.
When she finished work 3 years ago because of her condition (she was due to go in for ops) she could not claim income support because of my earnings.
As her condition has got worse she tried getting incapacity but she couldn't because she didn't have enough contributions due to the fact that they weren't being paid because she couldn't claim income support!! By this time she had not worked for 3 years.

It's of no help now but why didn't she claim SSP and then IB when she had to stop work? Who said she should try to claim IS?

Jowo_2

planetmaker wrote: »

..
I have even thought of moving out just to allow my wife to recieve some money as my wages just go on mortgage and bills and food and petrol.
..

Even if you pretend to separate to increase her benefit entitlement and she is then eligible for higher tax credits and income support, how does this leave you better off? You will have to run two households with two sets of bills, still have a mortgage to pay off and are obliged to pay somewhere in the region of 20% of your salary to her in child maintenance?!

Double check your entitlements on the Turn2us online benefit calculator.

Download the MSE budget planner to identify all your expenses and then work through the site to find advice and tips on how to live frugally and reduce your outgoings, plus there is info on how to up the household income. There is heaps of info how to reduce living costs. There is an MSE member who has published a recipe website that helps families of 4 feed themselves each month for £100.

If you have debts, go to the Debt Freewanabee board. They will advise you how to tackle this and reduce your household spending.

Your income is above average and if you are not due any more benefits, then you just have to improve your household skills or up your income in other ways.

nannytone_2

how do you qualify for any working tac credit? the cut off for a couple is around 18k. and on a 28k income i wouldnt see you getting that much in child tax credit.

dmg24

planetmaker wrote: »

I've contemplated moving into my wife's mums and her partners house (they live in spain 6 months per year) so she can claim income support/council tax benefit / housing benefit (interest in house) / more child tax credit etc etc.
I'd still have to be at the house to care for her and our kids and just sleep out.

Hmmn ... Playing the system is not the answer.

karenx

That will be child tax credits you get not working tax credits. And for higher incomes the amount you recieve is going to be lower soon so be prepared for that amount to drop.

nannytone_2

so on 28k a year with 2 kids, you get £50 a week ctc?
thats obscene and a kick in the teeth for all average childless earners!

Indie_Kid

I think you should look at lowering your outgoings - not seeing (can't think of anything else you'd be entitled to) what more you can get.

Garlee

nannytone wrote: »

how do you qualify for any working tac credit? the cut off for a couple is around 18k. and on a 28k income i wouldnt see you getting that much in child tax credit.

I *think* it's possibly because there is someone claiming DLA in their family. Without this, afaik they would get the family element of ctc (roughly £10 per week).

OP_ you have a high income coming in considering you are finding it hard to manage. Do you have large housing costs or a lot of debt?

nannytone_2

there wouldnt be a premium on ctc if its an adult getting dla