Benefit Entitlement Help Please??

SarahJane137

Can I just say to all that are posting and are trying to help - Thank you very much, I really appreciate it!! I dont think I am going to be able to keep up with replying to everyone individually so thank you to all in advance - I will be reading your comments and using your advice to move forward. Many Thanks!

Karenx: Will I be low priority even though I have 8 weeks to move out and I am pregnant with 4 weeks left? I have thought about another rented properly rented privately but not alot except people on benefits or do but you need someone who can afford to to sign something saying they'll pay for the rent if I can not pay it which I dont have Sorry I forgot the term used for this person.

MissMontana: Thank you so much for your encouragement and nice words - I just worrying alot lately as I want to do the best for my little un. Unfortunetly until the baby is old enough for me to go and work this is my circumstance and I am just trying to make it work. My landlord hasnt given anything to me in writing as of yet but I am expecting something in the next day or two. I assumed I would be classed as priority or at least higher priority than normal due to being pregnant and having nowhere to live soon. How mad is that about housing you with one bed before and 2 after the baby is born! but thanks for the heads up! I am sorry to hear this happened to you too - I cant imagine it was easy!
I have learnt from this post that his daughter wouldn't 'count' but thats ok - as long as I asked and now know that info because before this post I didnt. Even though she wouldn't be classed, due to the situation with her staying over 3 nights a week I would like the 3 bedroom so she could have her own room and still feel apart of our 'family' even though she doesn't primary live with us. If I were allowed to 'bid' on a 3 bedroom property I wouldn't mind paying the difference from a 2 bed to a 3 bed property - I only rented a 3 bed whilst at Uni as it was the same price for a 2 bed!! My housing benefit gets paid every 4 weeks at the moment :S
Also I have started claiming for milk/fruit/veg vouchers - thank you for the heads up! every bit helps as you may already know!
Do you mean once I have been claiming the vouchers for 26 weeks or more I can apply for the budgeting loan? How much is this? What's it for and how much do you have to repay?? Thank u SOO much!!!

zagfles

SarahJane137 wrote: »

Zagfles: Thanks very much for your reply. I didn't realise about the shared care thing but it makes sense! And yes your right, his ex partner gets all that for his daughter, he gets nothing. So if he lived with us and was unemployed I would still get Housing benefit of £103.85 a week, Child Tax Credit of £59.62 and Child Benefit of £20.30, however instead of Income Support of £67.50 - we would get £106 JSA as a couple instead?
However if he worked (which he will be) my income support would stop but I would still claim the rest as normal?? Also he might get working tax credit but for who, his daughter or my child? Would him claiming working tax credits effect my child tax credit? Sorry I just get so confused with it all. I really appreciate your help though so thanks again!

Sorry should have mentioned that your HB and CTB would probably reduce as well if he works - and if he earns over £16k your CTC could go down too. The turn2us calculator will work it all out - as long as you're careful entering the details it should give the right answers.

Re WTC, he would get that if he works 16 hours or more and his income is below about £16k or so. This is based on him living with you and your baby - if he wasn't he'd have to work 30 hours.

To complicate things further, tax credits work on annual income, so his earnings so far this year could affect your claim, your CTC could reduce even if he's unemployed now, if he's earned over £16k this year so far. If he moves in you'll have to end your single claim and claim jointly - they'll ask for his income last tax year but you can give them an estimate for this tax year if this year's is likely to be lower.

Yes it's all very complicated!:(

bottleredhead

Put your details in here, it is anonymous and you can amend them to suit your circumstances (ie with partner, without etc)

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

good luck!

SarahJane137

Fbaby: If you wasn't trying to be rude which you claim, I appreciate your comment, even though you give me no advice to move forward just criticise my decisions. Nevertheless, I do count myself lucky having the chance to be a family and having that support from my baby's dad. It is of course something I want myself too. And of course I am thinking of my baby having his dad in his life too more than just visits in the way of living with his dad and mum together. I do not mean to sound like a 'scab' from those who pay tax etc during my first 2 years in Uni and since I was 16 I have worked - these are just my circumstances at present and I would like to be prepared if anything for my little un when it comes to all aspects. So if it means weighing up my situation being a single parent compared too if my baby's dad lived with us, that's what I want to do, even if it had no effect on what I actually decide to do, at least I asked and am prepared either way.

MissMontana: Thanks again - you seem so nice and have great advice! I am waiting for a call back from the housing people regards getting the ball rolling, they just take ages getting back to you and now you cant ring them direct you just have to wait for a call back!
I have learnt than as his daughter doesn't 'count' I would only still be entitled to a two bed anyways as a couple get 1 room obviously lol so that's what I am going to do like you said get myself and the baby sorted and settled and then move forward from there. He does want to be there and support us and be a family which I am really glad of!
You know once I am rehoused say in a 2 bed, how would I see about a 3 bed if a 2 bed is all we are entitled too :S does that make sense? Also once you are reasonably housed I have heard of people waiting for another property for years at a time!
Would definitely like to know if any one did know the answer to that though...would my baby boy and his 7 year old half sister be expected to share a bedroom?

One other thing, lets say futuristic wise - I have the baby, dont work and am a full time mum, the babys dad lives with us and works, would I still claim benefits or would I be entitled to nothing as technically I would have to 'live off' him and his wage? I wouldn't like that :S - Just something else I dont know alot about!

SarahJane137

Zagfles: Wow that certainly is complicated!! lol But Thanks! Think I am going to go try the link and see where I get from there! Further more, I am going to concentrate on just finding somewhere to live for me and my little one for now before we have no-where.

bottleredhead: Thanks for the link and the non judgemental approach to checking it against all different options - definitely going to have a look.

Cant thank you guys enough!!

neverdespairgirl

Even if your partner's daughter did live with you full-time, you'd still only get the 2 bedroom rate. 2 children are expected to share whether the same sex or not, until one of them turns 11.

Cornish_piskie

SarahJane137 wrote: »

One other thing, lets say futuristic wise - I have the baby, dont work and am a full time mum, the babys dad lives with us and works, would I still claim benefits or would I be entitled to nothing as technically I would have to 'live off' him and his wage? I wouldn't like that :S - Just something else I dont know alot about!

Hi OP

If you decide to be a stay at home mum you will be assessed for tax credits as a couple. There isn't a benefit you can claim in your own right to replace a wage you might have got if you had gone to work. However you will receive child benefit for the little one (though this will depend in future on how much your partner earns as changes are afoot).

If you don't like the thought of having to 'live off' your lover/partner/father of your child (good lord what is this country coming to when people say this??? It used to be a given that a couple supported each other financially ) then you can put littley into childcare and work.

rogerblack

In addition.
I believe it's possible to get ESA, on the grounds of pregnancy risk.
If working would, for some reason, endanger the health of your baby, then you can claim ESA.
You would need a doctors certificate for this.

mumcoll

You would be able to bid on 3 bedroomed properties but would always be overlooked for families with more children. (That's how it is in my area). It's based on need - you may WANT a 3 bed but only NEED a 2 bed (as far as the allocations policy is concerned)

Oldernotwiser

SarahJane137 wrote: »

One other thing, lets say futuristic wise - I have the baby, dont work and am a full time mum, the babys dad lives with us and works, would I still claim benefits or would I be entitled to nothing as technically I would have to 'live off' him and his wage? I wouldn't like that :S - Just something else I dont know alot about!

One would hope that your BF would jump at the chance of supporting a new family, particularly as he hasn't been able to do this with his first child.

His reaction to this would be worth noting before making your final plans.