advice needed re- benefits

sickofeverything

hello

i have just signed up to this group looking for some advice about benefits.
i dont know where to start but here goes... i lived with my ex partner and our 3 children we got some tax credit and child benefit every month into his account and his weekly wage.
with advice and some help from the council advice centre i left him due him being violent with me for the last couple of years as i couldn't cope any longer.
we didnt leave with much stuff as we had to carry it onto the train to get here so all we have really is basics.
anyway i had an advisor who helped me find a private rented flat only two bedrooms here but better than us being where we was.
its quite far from where i lived before so since i left that morning ive had no help with anything.
i have tried to change the benefits over to my account but the child benefit have refused and advised the claim is in my ex partners name and they need to confirm with him that i now have the children and it can take upto 8 week...... tax credits have said they will close the old claim and i can make a new claim once child benefit comes through in my name.
i have been into the jobcentre and been told i cant claim income support either till child benefits done.
i have rang social services a few times and they provided food parcels but was told last week they cant do it again and i will have to get these benefits sorted.
so i went in to claim a crisis loan and was denied one because they say i owe too much from over 6 years ago so they cant pay one.
i have sold and pawned everything i had that was worth selling and ive tried to sell my laptop but cant as its on a contract with the dongle.
i just dont know where to go for help with all this or even what to do next.
i am really low on everything now and dont know how we are going to live on nothing coming in till all this is sorted, i dont know anyone round here to talk to my head is messed up with all this, i keep thinking the only way is to go back to him and just get on with it.

does anyone know if theres anything i can do about all this?

has anyone been in this situation before who can advise me what next?

is there any emergency funding to help us get by?

i have 3 children a 7 year old, a 2 year old and a 2 month old

thank you

1111

Have you tried citizens advice they might help you get something or will dss pay jobseekers allowance? sorry i cant be of more help hope you get something sorted soon

munchies

have a look if there is a foodbank anywhere near:

http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects

Try speaking to a support organisation like:
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/

http://www.refuge.org.uk/

Ask the job centre to look again the crisis loan refusal- you can ask for a review by the independant review service.

Sorry these things take so much time & energy to sort out keep going xx

1111

Never thought of food banks.... also i heard you can get baby milk from the doctor (dont know if its true or not) well thats if you bottle feed

munchings-n-crunchings

Try and contact your local Women's Aid Centre. They often have outreach workers that can support you, also ask about food parcels, I know my local centre do them.

Also, you may not be religous, but there are a number of church based groups and organisations that can and will help you, just because they care. Here, you may be able to get emotional support and company as well.

There's also Home Start, if there's a branch in your area.
www.home-start.org.uk


It's not easy being in the position where you need to ask for help from strangers, but there may be more out there than you anticipate.

Regards
Munchie

sickofeverything

yes i went to citizens advice at first and the helped me explain to child benefit and tax credits what has happened and gave me a number for crisis loans.
crisis loans said she would refuse to pay one before i even gave her the details and woundnt listen to me, they dont seem to understand we have nothing not even basics now just by taking my name, address and everything she said no, i have just checked and trussell trust are not in this area
i am just going to send an email to home start now to see if i can get any help from there, i didnt think it would turn out like this or i would have just stayed and put up with it. a lady from a charity was ment to be contacting me when i first moved in and no one has been or anything, i feel like i am stuck in a hole and cant get out with all this going on and nothing is getting any easier

sickofeverything

i didnt no you can get baby milk from docs i wil get an app tomorow see if they do

whitewing

Find out who your new health visitor is, and tell her that you need an emergency appt/advice from her.

Go and speak to the oldest child's head teacher. He/she may be able to point you in some good direction, and maybe write letters on your behalf.

Find out who your new MP is, and contact them and get them to assist you with tax credits/benefits.

Best of luck.

sickofeverything

i have filled in the forms for the docs so should have health visitor for us now i will find out in morning, my eldest has changed school now i am just waiting on her being admitted to her new one as we are to far from the old school so they are transfering her.

Anubis_2

Surely they can't leave you and your kids to starve? This is ridiculous! I sincerely hope you get some help, do not go backwards though, it takes tremendous courage to leave that going back would be a death scentence. Remember this is only temporary, violence isn't - it will leave its mark forever.

Let us know how you get on, someone has to do something!

sickofeverything

going to look up the mp now thank you