MOOLOO'S continuing saga Part 4

Savvy_sewing

gizmo111 wrote: »

Ask your solicitor to write to benefits and clarify exactly what you will get when the SGO goes through. If you are going to lose a lot of money then SS will have to keep you on as a foster carer or pay the difference so that you don't lose out.
Don't agree to the SGO until this is sorted.

I fear that we are in court in just over a week, for the SGO. I am not sure that I will be able to get them to halt that?
But I will try. In some ways I just want it done and over with and then deal with the fall out, in others I am of course worried sick.
I think I will email my Fostering Social Worker as well as the other team and tell them of my concerns and that i may have to put these things on hold. Time is running out though.
I feel as if there is so much to deal with what the heck do I deal with first!:eek:

Eager_Elephant

AFAIK SGA is not counted as income for any benefits so not sure what your letter was about.

If you are going to lose £149 per week then some of that will be made up with HB/CTB.

If you only get CB, CTC and SGA then you would get full HB and CTB.

I am back at work next week so I will check my benefits book then.

gizmo111

Mooloo wrote: »

I fear that we are in court in just over a week, for the SGO. I am not sure that I will be able to get them to halt that?
But I will try. In some ways I just want it done and over with and then deal with the fall out, in others I am of course worried sick.
I think I will email my Fostering Social Worker as well as the other team and tell them of my concerns and that i may have to put these things on hold. Time is running out though.
I feel as if there is so much to deal with what the heck do I deal with first!:eek:

Your solicitor will just tell them that due to uncertain finances you cannot agreee to it that day and want an adjournment until you are sure that you will be in a position to provide for the child without SS support. It will go in front of a judge (magistrates) who will agree to the adjournment in the best interests of the child - in reality they have little choice as they cannot make you be a special guardian. Social worker will oppose the adjournment, threaten to move the child etc etc which will make the court very cross and will have no choice in the end but to concede.

esmy

Hi, long term lurker here. Would this organisation be any good to you? Seems the benefits helpline is open on Monday and I'm sure they may have come across your situation before.
http://www.grandparents-association.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=52

Savvy_sewing

esmy wrote: »

Hi, long term lurker here. Would this organisation be any good to you? Seems the benefits helpline is open on Monday and I'm sure they may have come across your situation before.
http://www.grandparents-association.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=52

Thanks, I have made a note of thier number and will call them. Nothing ventured nothing gained after all.
I was on the government website again yesterday, and it may be possible to get Income Support as I am a "lone foster parent" so I am going to investigate what that means and if I would still qualify if I am a Special Guardian. fingers crossed.]
But if EE is right, then at least I wouldnt have to find the rent or the community tax anymore. That would be around £100 a week. So that will be a relief and a huge difference. I may be able to keep the car if that is the case. But I will work on tweeking the budget as best as I can.
I just hope that the various benefits will kick in immediately, but with everyone claiming then I suppose there may be delays.

We spent a few hours in the garden yesterday, cutting the grass and weeding. What a difference it looks this morning.

duchy

If once you have guardianship you are "no longer working" ie not fostering -then can you not off-set that by treating your craftwork that you sell as self employed work and spend more time (30 hours a week) on it -by the time you add up time you spend crafting, listing on ebay-taking photos, sourcing materials posting etc it probably doesn't fall far short of that now -plus all your expenses would be offset against profit -so you'd be paying no tax. I realise it might mess up other benefits as it was but with the changes coming both with ESA and guardianship-possibly this might be worth looking at ?

Maybe something to look at more long term once DGD is in school but just something to keep in mind.

Savvy_sewing

duchy wrote: »

If once you have guardianship you are "no longer working" ie not fostering -then can you not off-set that by treating your craftwork that you sell as self employed work and spend more time (30 hours a week) on it -by the time you add up time you spend crafting, listing on ebay-taking photos, sourcing materials posting etc it probably doesn't fall far short of that now -plus all your expenses would be offset against profit -so you'd be paying no tax. I realise it might mess up other benefits as it was but with the changes coming both with ESA and guardianship-possibly this might be worth looking at ?

Maybe something to look at more long term once DGD is in school but just something to keep in mind.

I am often thinking about this as a way foreward, but fear that the current way I am crafting is rather intermitant with the problems of the family and myself, and so will not be earning much. already the things I make and sell, the odd thing a month really, do not cover the costs of the overheads.
I do not cover my time for sure.
I would need to be selling at quite a high price, and people are not necessarily willing to pay that much for things.
I hope that those who have bought my things are all still happy with the quality of them, and would possibly consider recommending me, and even possibly be willing to purchase more at a slightly higher price, but I believe, I may be wrong, but that to be able to work as self employed in that way, I must have a viable business? This would not be a viable business unless I started to have greater sales and greater profit margins. (any profit margins!!!).
But I will never say never, as I am sure that the urge to get Mooloo's up and running is in there somewhere, it surfaces a lot when I talk with Molly, and my family. Its making the time to commit.

I spent yesterday reading a book that was kindly sent to me.
After BF went back to take his daughter to Uni,
"Feel the Fear and do it anyway" by Susan Jeffers.

I couldnt put it down. To start with I wasnt sure why I was reading it. Intrigue? I didnt think it was me. But once I got into it. I actually understood where it was coming from.
I certainly felt motivated and calmer when i went to bed.
It has a lot of reference material to follow up with, and exercises to follow. So I will be going back to the beginning when i can, and work my way through it.
I am willing to be open to changing the way I react to things.

I have the cold that everyone else has just been spreading around.! I had hoped that it had missed me. But the sneezes are here!. damn.

Tomorrow DGD goes back to Nursery.
Somehow during the summer months I think I will book her back into the holiday club. She really has been missing her nursery and kept asking if she could go.
It would be better for her, as she misses contact with other children. So if there is a will, there is a way I suppose.
I am going to make a cup of tea, and then get on the phone to the benefits and ask them a few more questions.
Like if I am not entitled to Working Tax credits, will that mean that I am entitled to keep the ESA income related, and or apply for Income support.
I will let you know the results of that one.

duchy

Blinking minefield isn't it

Hope you get some answers before you go for the Guardianship hearing. Hopefully commonsense will prevail and you shouldn't be penalized for taking on legal responsibility.

Savvy_sewing

I rang up about the question of Income support. I am not allowed to put a claim in until the 27th. If the ESA stops on the 30th. So nothing I can do there.
I have looked at the governments website and I have saved a few different scenarios.
I will hopefully get through this minefield. It actually looks like at the moment, I am best to give up the Working Tax Credits as soon as the court case is done, and claim the Child Tax Credits, Child Benefit and the Housing benefit and Council Tax benefit.
I will then have to battle the ESA/Income support from there.
I hope that I will manage to fulfill the criteria for one or the other.
I will then only be about £16 a week worse off, if I have the above benefits to pay for the rent/rates etc.
Less cash in my hand as well, but less bills to pay.

So with EE and everyones advice, I have been able to look at the situation again, and again, and I am much calmer, and more in control.

Savvy_sewing

Its been a tough day. DGD has been obnoxious all day. Even for the help.
I tried to have a rest this afternoon just after lunch but only managed to rest and not to sleep, as she was throwing a few wobblies. Then before we had to go out, to get my glasses, etc she was throwing a humdinger. I was so upset that I had to go outside. I was feeling rather desperate and low.
Luckily I am calmer now.
I have succumbed to the sneezes etc that BF and DGD have had, and feel really bunged up now. Its my eyes that feel the worst though. Not the sight. Thats much improved with the new glasses, but its the pressure behind them.
I will probably be having yet another early night.

(When will I get to finish the buntings! One is done, but I am behind on another.). I had hoped to sew today. Another wasted day.
Thank goodness she has nursery tomorrow.