Am i elegable to anything?

twinkle_2k86

We was reading a story in my local paper yesterday, and got me thinking,

Im not one for claiming benefits really, but time are getting very tough for all, and any help would be so much help.

My situation is, i work 38 hrs a week, my wife is a stay at home mum with the 3 kids going to school (3 kids still young)

I earn £25800 a year befor tax, so about £19900 after tax/ NI a year (so nothing to grumble about) thats the only income we get thro working. We also get £289 every 4 weeks for tax credits, and £189 every 4 weeks for child benefit (family allowance)

What got me was this thing in the paper said, a family with 3 children was to get min £280 per week to live on after paying there rent, And that was £108 a week below the povity line.

So that got me thinking, does this mean im on the povity line then? even tho i thought i earnt a nice wage. And also if i was maybe entitled to any help in Rent etc.

Trouble is now, we have no spare money every month to treat the kids to days out etc, and feel there missing out so much.

So what do you lot think? am i just being stupid think this?

cheers

MamaMoo_2

twinkle_2k86 wrote: »

We was reading a story in my local paper yesterday, and got me thinking,

Im not one for claiming benefits really, but time are getting very tough for all, and any help would be so much help.

My situation is, i work 38 hrs a week, my wife is a stay at home mum with the 3 kids going to school (3 kids still young)

I earn £25800 a year befor tax, so about £19900 after tax/ NI a year (so nothing to grumble about) thats the only income we get thro working. We also get £289 every 4 weeks for tax credits, and £189 every 4 weeks for child benefit (family allowance)

What got me was this thing in the paper said, a family with 3 children was to get min £280 per week to live on after paying there rent, And that was £108 a week below the povity line.

So that got me thinking, does this mean im on the povity line then? even tho i thought i earnt a nice wage. And also if i was maybe entitled to any help in Rent etc.

Trouble is now, we have no spare money every month to treat the kids to days out etc, and feel there missing out so much.

So what do you lot think? am i just being stupid think this?

cheers

It's doubtful, but have a look at https://www.entitledto.com and double check

Cornish_piskie

It's definitely worth checking - you may be entitled to a small amount of HB or Council Tax Benefit.

I feel your pain OP, recently I've felt that I'm working only to pay the mortgage and bills and the 'treats' for the kids have gone out the window:((we used to enjoy going to the cinema about once a month, or twice if I could persuade them they wanted to see the bargain show :rotfl:and this cost around £30). This month - due to my hours being cut (local government grrr), I find now that I can claim about a fiver a week in Council Tax Benefit and I've managed to shave £15 a month off my car insurance renewal so guess who's off to the cinema again:D

Over on the debt-free wannabe board is a useful link to a statement of affairs - I found this really handy in helping to draw up a realistic monthly budget and the old-style money saving board has some great ideas for cutting grocery bills so this could help release some money to re-instate those much-needed treats

HTH

twinkle_2k86

MamaMoo wrote: »

It's doubtful, but have a look at and double check

Thank you, have done a calc on there, and according to that, heres the results,

Child tax credits = £94.43 per week (we dont get near that)
Council tax benefit = £0.00
Housing benefit = £11.03 per week
Child benefit = £47.10 per week. (spot on what we get.)

Child tax, we are paying back an over payment as got put on a 4 day week, and the year calc got messed up so got over paid.

I bet if i tryed to claim through my local concil, they will tell me to do one.

twinkle_2k86

Well just done it with the amount of tax credits we get now, and these are both different,

Housing benefit = £25.45 per week
Council tax benefit = £0.07 per week


So do they work it out on what your spose to get in tax cerdits? or on what you are receiving?

Cornish_piskie

twinkle_2k86 wrote: »

Thank you, have done a calc on there, and according to that, heres the results,

Child tax credits = £94.43 per week (we dont get near that)
Council tax benefit = £0.00
Housing benefit = £11.03 per week
Child benefit = £47.10 per week. (spot on what we get.)

Child tax, we are paying back an over payment as got put on a 4 day week, and the year calc got messed up so got over paid.

I bet if i tryed to claim through my local concil, they will tell me to do one.

The turn2us (or entitledto) website doesn't calculate for the overpayment so that's why that figure is out. Try your local council's own website - many of them have their own benefits calculator which might give you a better idea if you truly can claim any HB or CTB. For example, turn2us told me zero for CTB but my local council calculator came with the fiver a week

Also, if your kids are all at school, would it be worthwhile your wife looking at a part-time job? Schools are often crying out for lunch-time supervisors etc so that would work in with term times too.

gemstargirl

twinkle_2k86 wrote: »

We was reading a story in my local paper yesterday, and got me thinking,

Im not one for claiming benefits really, but time are getting very tough for all, and any help would be so much help.

My situation is, i work 38 hrs a week, my wife is a stay at home mum with the 3 kids going to school (3 kids still young)

I earn £25800 a year befor tax, so about £19900 after tax/ NI a year (so nothing to grumble about) thats the only income we get thro working. We also get £289 every 4 weeks for tax credits, and £189 every 4 weeks for child benefit (family allowance)

What got me was this thing in the paper said, a family with 3 children was to get min £280 per week to live on after paying there rent, And that was £108 a week below the povity line.

So that got me thinking, does this mean im on the povity line then? even tho i thought i earnt a nice wage. And also if i was maybe entitled to any help in Rent etc.

Trouble is now, we have no spare money every month to treat the kids to days out etc, and feel there missing out so much.

So what do you lot think? am i just being stupid think this?

cheers

On that basis, you have a net weekly income of over £500!

Isn't that enough to live on?
I only ask as it is very unlikely that you would receive any form of means tested benefits.

Is anyone in your family ill or disabled in any way?
That might be a way forward in increasing your income.

Caz3121

If you are in private rented you need to use the LHA rate for your family size and not actual rent http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_196239

apologies if you did this or it does not apply

embob74

twinkle_2k86 wrote: »

I earn £25800 a year befor tax, so about £19900 after tax/ NI a year (so nothing to grumble about) thats the only income we get thro working. We also get £289 every 4 weeks for tax credits, and £189 every 4 weeks for child benefit (family allowance)
What got me was this thing in the paper said, a family with 3 children was to get min £280 per week to live on after paying there rent, And that was £108 a week below the povity line.

My partner works 50+ hours for a lesser wage than yours and we don't get that much in tax credits. We have 3 children also.
It is hard but we manage - I would have thought that as you get tax credits this would nullify any HB or CTB you would get.
The paper you read wasn't the Daily Mail was it?!

twinkle_2k86

No not the daily mail, was our local mid week paper.

And just an update,

I phoned up the council office and got an estimate over the phone,

I qualify for £15 per week housing benefit. they said i need to just go and do the fourms etc now.

I still cant beleave it tho, i can see why this country is like it is. I proberly wont be taking it tho, dont seem right to me, i work hard and get a good wage, why should i be entitled to his as well.

thanks all for your help tho. :j

Lady_gaga

Can't your wife get a job if things are that hard? she could work when you're at home to look after them