Partner had to leave house - single or joint claim for benefits?

looby75

AimeesMum wrote: »

I am already claiming the max childcare allowed for 2 kids There will be £550 less coming into the house (£360 incapacity benefit and £190 per month additional childcare costs incurred Social work acctually suggested that I give up working and would be financial better off but I can't do that I am only 23 and the thought of trying to get back into work after being off for a long time would be too worrying plus I worked really hard to get my job.

I feel that it was definitely the right decision that we made for him to go somewhere while he gets better but it's just so hard worrying about the implications of it

It might be a long shot but have you spoken to SS about childcare? My sister gets 3 days free childcare through SS for my niece to help her through a rough time she's going through and my niece also was given free childcare for a short period of time a couple of years back.

sulkisu

AimeesMum wrote: »

I am at my tightest Incomings are

£1700 per month
£800 tax credits per month

£1250 childcare
£550 rent
£140 council tax
£200 travelling
£90 Sky & Internet (in contract but going to give them a call and get movies and sport etc off now)
£100 gas and eletric
£100 in overpayment for Housing benefit from years ago

Leaving only about £200 left over per month for food, nappies, milk and clothing. I know it is perfectly manageable - it's just another downside to everything that is happening

You should be getting child benefit (£33.70 p.w.) and are you getting the free 15 hours p.w. of nursery care for your three year old?

AimeesMum_2

The child benefit goes straight to a credit union loan. The other £10 stays in there for savings and is used for Christmas presents every year.

My daughters free nursery places start in January, however, her childminder still charges for the time that she is there. I think this is pretty standard practice for childminders and have never known any to not charge during these hours xxx

AimeesMum_2

looby75 wrote: »

It might be a long shot but have you spoken to SS about childcare? My sister gets 3 days free childcare through SS for my niece to help her through a rough time she's going through and my niece also was given free childcare for a short period of time a couple of years back.

I haven't yet. They have only been out once but I think they will probably be in touch shortly. Will see if they can provide any help xx

looby75

AimeesMum wrote: »

I haven't yet. They have only been out once but I think they will probably be in touch shortly. Will see if they can provide any help xx

well you can only ask I hope they can come up with some help for you. Good Luck.

Vejovis

can you find cheaper childcare, childminders are notoriously more expensive than nurseries, plus nurseries dont charge for the free time 3yr+ get.

mumps

AimeesMum wrote: »

I am already claiming the max childcare allowed for 2 kids There will be £550 less coming into the house (£360 incapacity benefit and £190 per month additional childcare costs incurred Social work acctually suggested that I give up working and would be financial better off but I can't do that I am only 23 and the thought of trying to get back into work after being off for a long time would be too worrying plus I worked really hard to get my job.

I feel that it was definitely the right decision that we made for him to go somewhere while he gets better but it's just so hard worrying about the implications of it

You have got your hands full, make sure you look after yourself, your children need you so don't feel selfish about taking care of you. You have had a hard time but had to put the children first, don't feel guilty about that whatever people say, the children can't look after themselves and at the moment can't rely on dad so you have to be the one making the tough decisions. Do you have any family who could help?

Oldernotwiser

AimeesMum wrote: »

I am already claiming the max childcare allowed for 2 kids There will be £550 less coming into the house (£360 incapacity benefit and £190 per month additional childcare costs incurred Social work acctually suggested that I give up working and would be financial better off but I can't do that I am only 23 and the thought of trying to get back into work after being off for a long time would be too worrying plus I worked really hard to get my job.

I feel that it was definitely the right decision that we made for him to go somewhere while he gets better but it's just so hard worrying about the implications of it

Although £550pcm is a sizeable amount of money you must also be saving quite a bit with your husband not living with you.

I think that you're quite right to carry on working, for many reasons.

AimeesMum_2

I don't have any family at all who can help. I moved away from family for work reasons. Have my sister fairly close by but she has cystic fibrosis and I wouldn't want to lump anything else on her

I suppose it's just going to be a rocky few months - I'm not going to bother trying to claim for anything but hoping that this all doesn't take too long to sort out I have asked the lady at tax credits to make sure that it was logged that my partner no longer lives with me in the notes so that if there is anything that happens that I did at least make them aware. I'm surely not doing anything wrong as I would get more tax credits if claiming as single anyway.

Thank you all so much for posting on my thread - feel much more positive about the decision for him to leave the house. I understand that it might not be the decision everyone would make but his illness was making me miserable and anxious and I just want him to get better.

XxX

AimeesMum_2

Vejovis wrote: »

can you find cheaper childcare, childminders are notoriously more expensive than nurseries, plus nurseries dont charge for the free time 3yr+ get.

This lady is one of the cheapest in the area at only £6 per hour for the two kids. We were with someone else who was £8 per hour for the kids. My daughter starts school in September so would need a childminder for then anyway and the nearest private nursery charges £170 per week full time for my baby and £130 for my daughter with the free hours so it's almost the same but at least this way they get picked up and dropped off which saves me so much bother as I don't have a car and live in quite a remote village.