Help confused Carer

Squirrel1993

Hi, I'm a newbie so please be kind
I became a Carer (35hrs week)just before Xmas for my step dad. I have been awarded the allowance of £53 a week. Im a single parent and I have a child of 17 still at school doing A levels so also get child tax credits. I also work part time 8 hrs a week (minimum wage). I get help with my mortgage interest and council tax.
I am working a 43 hour week altogether and our income each week for heating petrol shopping and bills is barely £130.
Is their any other help I could be getting? We are finding it hard to manage financially. Any advice welcome
Tx jackie

Indie_Kid

You may get some income support.

MrsManda

As SH said, you may be entitled to Income Support and as a carer you will get a premium on top of the basic payment.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_185670

Other help:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/MoneyMatters/DG_10037637

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

It may be worth putting your details into the benefits calculators below to give you an estimate of entitlement
https://www.dwpe-services.direct.gov.uk/portal/page/portal/ba/lp?_piref278_36249_278_36248_36248.__ora_navig=

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

Oldernotwiser

What about child benefit and maintenance from your child's father?

Pitlanepiglet

Our Job Centre Plus has an advisor who deals with carers and they have a system that they can put all the details through to flag if any other benefits are available. Might be worth seeing if your JCP has someone similar who can help.

Squirrel1993

Thank you to everyone that replied, Will be taking your advice and using the benefits checker as well as contacting the JC. I had not realised there was a possibility of Income support. I do receive child benefit but unfortunately not any child maintenance. Though my fears is that soon my child will turn 18 and I will then lose child ben and child tax credits.

Jowo_2

Squirrel1993 wrote: »

.. Though my fears is that soon my child will turn 18 and I will then lose child ben and child tax credits.

Yes, If the child isn't in training, education or employment when they are no longer classed as a dependent, they will get approx £50 per week in Job Seekers allowance and can pay towards their board to help out with household costs.

I get the impression that sometimes the loss of CB/CTC from the parent can be greater than the JSA that the adult child gets, but again, you can model the impact of this by putting this scenario into an online benefit checker, such as Turn2us.

Oldernotwiser

Squirrel1993 wrote: »

Thank you to everyone that replied, Will be taking your advice and using the benefits checker as well as contacting the JC. I had not realised there was a possibility of Income support. I do receive child benefit but unfortunately not any child maintenance. Though my fears is that soon my child will turn 18 and I will then lose child ben and child tax credits.

As long as your son is in full time non advanced education (like A levels) you can receive CB and CTC up til his 20th birthday.

If he goes to university he'll get funding to pay his keep or, if he doesn't, he'll be earning or paying his way with JSA.