son leaves college july and i only work 16hrs

emmasgirl

Dognobs wrote: »

Did you not know that he would be leaving school?

OBVIOUSLY! - my son "left school" when he was 16!! its college hes leaving in July , and a few months ago i was married and my husband worked and i didnt claim any benefits, this is all new to me - thanks for your helpful reply though!

emmasgirl

Caz3121 wrote: »

Unless you have only recently become a single parent, you should really have been preparing for this over the last x years rather than 4 months before it is going to happen. With a 19 year old, childcare would not have been an issue for a number of years

YES it is only recently i became a single parent - thanks for your reply!....

skibadee

Have you tried putting your figures re wages into entitledto.com ?
As a single parent you only have to be working 16hrs a wk to qualify for Tax credits, but without a dependent I think this figure rises to 30 (not sure?? )

Spendless

emmasgirl wrote: »

Spendless wrote: »

What sort of shop only opens 16 hours per week?

A chip shop that only opens dinner-time due to its location

Yes when someone earlier mentioned a chip shop, I realised what sort of shop only opened a few hours per week. I've lived in a village where the chippy was only open limited hours. Can you find an evening job to go with your lunchtime one eg barmaid to tide you over whilst you look for f-time work?

anguk

BigAunty wrote: »

Forgive my ignorance - what old system are you talking about that makes you ineligible for CTC?

My husband receives money for our daughter in with his Incapacity benefit (topped up with income support) therefore we don't get CTC. When CTCs were introduced we got a letter asking if we wanted to transfer over, I would get CTC for our daughter and they would stop the money my husband receives for her. As we would just end up with the same income anyway we just stayed as we were rather than have a load more form filling. Everyone on this system was supposedly going to be transferred over at some point but here we are several years later and it hasn't happened yet.

anguk

Dunroamin wrote: »

Don't forget how much your outgoing will go down when your daughter leaves for university - you may find that you're not that much worse off.

She's not daft, she's going to a local university so she can stay at home because it's cheaper!

I'm going to have to properly look into everything because I know obviously any money we get for her will stop because she'll no longer be our dependant but I'm not sure if any maintenance grants etc that she receives will affect our benefits?

Caz3121

emmasgirl wrote: »

a few months ago i was married and my husband worked and i didnt claim any benefits, this is all new to me

Is the divorce in progress? are you due a share of a matrimonial property or any other assets that will be able to keep you going until you can find other work?

Dunroamin

anguk wrote: »

She's not daft, she's going to a local university so she can stay at home because it's cheaper!
?

But, as you're on benefits, she'll receive the full student funding package which will enable her to pay her way in the household and cover the money you will lose in CB/CTC.

Caz3121

emmasgirl wrote: »

I put in a claim when i started work but apparently i wasn't intitled to any HB OR CTB due to £134 C/WTC and my 16hrs @ min wage

you may well be entitled to some help once the tax credits stop.