Financial Help for Single Dad's Who DO Pay Maintenance

magred

Firstly, my apologies if this new thread can be covered off elsewhere (I couldn't see anything).

I have a very simple question, and one that I have not been able to answer: Are single dad's (I think stating 'dad' is significant) entitled to ANY financial help by the way of government/other benefits to help support them or their children when their children do not live with them?

Why do I ask? HMRC online states (today) I may be entitled to Tax Credits help. I telephoned them and they told me, quite categorically, the opposite. "No".

Confused? You bet I am confused.

My situation: I work full time. My available income after my mortgage, child maintenance (to my ex wife) and bills [not food bills] are paid is less than £220 per month. As part of my outgoings I pay £100 into an IVA every month.

I pay many bills by reducing my own food bill, and I am not joking either.

I am really really struggling to feed myself and see my children (they live 50 miles away).

It has always been my understanding that single dad's are entitled to nothing (considered as ordinary 'single' men when it comes to benefits/financial help, yet where other matters are concerned, we are categorised as 'divorced'/'separated'/'father's'/'absent fathers' [hate that term], and more).

So, if an HMRC calculator states:

"Based on the information you have entered, your household may be entitled to the following tax credits award:-
Child Tax Credit £635.73
Childcare element of Working Tax Credit £0.00
Sub total £635.73
Working Tax Credit (less the childcare element of Working Tax Credit) £0.00
Note: The childcare element of Working Tax Credit will always be paid direct to the person who is mainly responsible for caring for the child or children, alongside payments of Child Tax Credit.
Total £635.73"

- yet when I call HMRC they say "No, you're not entitled to any help", who's right?

The HMRC site also states:

"Who can get tax credits?
Nine out of ten families with children qualify for tax credits, but you don't need to have children to claim. You may also qualify if you are working and on a low income."

Hence, is my assumption, quite simply the case that you really do need to have your children living with you (or someone else's children, or be female, or live outside the UK?), or am I mistaken with my understanding here? No offence intended to anyone. This is essentially what I am hearing/being told, not my opinion.

Can anyone offer any thoughts, advice, suggestions please?

Trying to live on £220 a month in 2012 is very difficult - and before anyone asks, I don't drink, smoke, gamble, eat out, play sport, go on holiday, have cable or Sky TV, eat take-aways, or do anything like this!

Am I dreaming that help is available?

duchy

Yes

Yep

Tax credits are payable to anyone working but earning a low wage. The size of your mortgage is irrelevent.
Child tax credits are paid to the parent the children live with -the determining factor is which parent claims child benefit.

As from what you've said the children's main residence is elsewhere and they only come and stay with you one or two nights-the only thing you can claim is reduced CSA if they have regular overnight stays with you-which should already be deducted unless things have changed since you completed the forms.

Oldernotwiser

I don't think that the Benefits Board is the right place for a thread like this and I expect it'll be moved.

However, your problem is the debt repayment and no benefits are intended to cover that.

bestpud

As said, if your income was low, you could claim working tax credits for yourself.

Child related benefits cannot be paid twice for the same child(ren) and the parent with care gets them. Even with shared care (as in literally 50% with both parents) only one can claim tax credits and the parents have to work it out between themselves.

I think the balance is tipped in favour of parents with care tbh, but that said, the tax payer isn't responsible for your debts.

duchy

Yes

Don't see why it should be moved at this point.
The OP is asking if there are any available benefits for his circumstances and is getting answers.
No-one is debating the moral rights and wrongs which would send it to DT (not saying it won't end up there eventually but it is a request for info thread at this time)
Why do you think this is the wrong place ?

magred

Many thanks for the reply!

What is the definition of 'low' wage? The HMRC site does not appear to state what this is (that I could see)? Statistics tell me the average salary in the UK is XYZ, so anyone earning less than the average (most people) must, by default, be on a 'low' wage. Of course, we know this data is not considered in this way at all!

Reduced Maintenance Payments - firstly, I don't want to do this (my situation has not changed anyway since separation and divorce), and if I see my children more I could choose this option by default. However, the paradox is this: if I see them more I will eat less (and so will my children if they visit more often), because my fuel bill to travel to collect them (like most people's) is obscene, and this is with me NOT using my car for work or at other times: I cycle 11 miles a day to and from work, which is not a problem, and walk elsewhere. So, to pay less Maintenance I need to see my children more, which will cost me significantly more, and result in my having less at the end of it.

If I see them less, my ex-wife is entitled to more Maintenance payments by default also.

In summary: Have my children stay with me more = costs me more

Have my children stay with me more less = costs me more

[Yes, you did read this correctly!]

Bizarre. No-win scenario!

I may sound opinionated (I am with this issue because it's not right), and it would be great to stimulate debate for fathers who need help, both financial and advisory - but only those who are stuck in this rut, who genuinely care for and pay towards their children's needs. I have searched and searched, and there is nothing... not one thing of any help whatsoever (unless you pay for it) - which I feel answers why many men simply don't bother with a lot of things, have mental health issues, don't work, take in someone else's children, etc. Not me though. Doesn't make this right though...

I think my original belief stands.

NB: If I get rid of my car (thought about this many times) I will have great difficulty seeing my children...

magred

Debts: I don't want the tax payer to pay my debts. That is my responsibility - and I pay them all (all, by the way accrued during and a result of divorce, which wasn't initiated by me).

I simply want to know why men (or rather, men who are fathers, who pay their dues through child maintenance, officially calculated) are ignored. It is not my opinion, it is fact.

Quite simply, if a man in this situation cannot look after himself properly, falls ill, cannot work, who will pick up the bill and who will suffer? The state will pick up the pieces and children will suffer.

Am I like this? Not at all, and never will be.

If my questions have irritated some and stimulated debate, good!

You tell me what you would do!

Oldernotwiser

duchy wrote: »

Don't see why it should be moved at this point.
The OP is asking if there are any available benefits for his circumstances and is getting answers.
No-one is debating the moral rights and wrongs which would send it to DT (not saying it won't end up there eventually but it is a request for info thread at this time)
Why do you think this is the wrong place ?

It's the poll I think inappropriate here, not the request for advice.

bestpud

duchy wrote: »

Don't see why it should be moved at this point.
The OP is asking if there are any available benefits for his circumstances and is getting answers.
No-one is debating the moral rights and wrongs which would send it to DT (not saying it won't end up there eventually but it is a request for info thread at this time)
Why do you think this is the wrong place ?

If the OP wanted benefits advice, he'd have given his situation and asked if he was entitled. He didn't though - he started a poll to invite answers to a general benefit issue.

That's really something for the debating forum if you look at the site rules and I suspect it will be moved there at some point.

Oldernotwiser

magred wrote: »

Debts: I don't want the tax payer to pay my debts. That is my responsibility - and I pay them all (all, by the way accrued during and a result of divorce, which wasn't initiated by me).

Most people on IVAs only pay back a part of their debts although you may be the exception. If you didn't have an IVA then you'd have £320 pcm to live on which would be much more doable.

FBaby

I think you are forgetting a very key point... children cost a fortune.... one that you contribute towards your maintenance. That means that you don't to pay, in addition to the maintenance towards childcare costs, clothing (which can be high or not depending on your expectation of how your kids should be dressed, especially in regards to shoes), school dinners, school trips, activities, clubs, pocket money, mobile, travel costs, fuel to take them places, parties etc...

Of course, how much one contributes in relation to how much is spent on the children is relative to each situation, but the government has to find a middle way.

I personally think that single parents with residency are getting way more money in tax credits and the rest than what their children really cost them most of the time, ie. that a large proportion of this is spent on other things than what benefits the children directly. Saying that, I do not think it means that single parents without residency should be able to claim CB/Tax credits.

The situation that I think is definitely unfair is when the non resident parent has the children 3 days a week, still has to pay some maintennance, gets no share of the benefits, AND is expected to contribute to half of the above costs when children are under his care.