Help for my daughter please

jackiwan

My daughter is a single parent,living in her own council house with her daughter,she gets a small amount of housing benefit,also claims working tax allowance and child tax allowance and also works 16 hours a week,would she be entitled to any other help,shes struggling to even buy a new washing machine,hasnt had a one for over a month now.Any help would be really gratefully received.
Traceyxx

gingergee

Has she tried ebay? I got mine for £50 3 yr ago an its still going!! (only just mind!!) xxx

Notmyrealname

Looks like she's getting everything as long as she is also getting child benefit. What about maintenance from the father?

Regards the washing machine, no need to buy new. The wife and I didn't have a new washing machine for several years. Ebay or small ads. We once picked one up off a disgruntled wife whose husband had walked out on her for £70 and it was still in the wrapping!

jackiwan

Thank you for your responses,Dad is on the scene but thinks cos he has daughter everyweekend well his mum does that he doesnt have to support his daughter its called shared care or something,i will look on ebay suppose i might get a good bargain lol

Matt_hull

I now someone you is looking to sell his, I will get in contact with them and let you know how that goes

Chrissiew

I got my washing machine from a place called second chance, its a charity that recycles used goods from people who no longer need them, there are places like that all over the country and the criteria to use the place is you have to be on benefits or working tax credit, which your daughter is, my machine cost £40 and Ive had it 3 years now so its well worth looking to see if you have one near by, you can get lots of other furniture as well.

McKneff

Just cos that's what he thinks doesnt make it right.

Tell her to get the CSA involved.

shedboy94

How much is her rent/council tax because taking into account her WTC/CTC/CB/wages, with housing and council tax benefit, her disposable income per week should still be just under £200

BigAunty

She should also look into Freecycle, Gumtree freebies or similar to see if someone is giving one away. Emmaus is another organisation that sells goods cheaply to benefit claimants but there are loads of second hand furniture charities around.

The child maintenance that the father should be paying (yes, it can be reduced if they share physical custody but not wiped out) is around 15% of his wages. It will not affect her benefits.

Hmm71

If the father is on benefit and has the kid at least one night a week (averaged out over the year) then he isn't liable for maintenance. If he only sees her at weekends and she doesn't stay overnight then he should be paying at least flat rate maintenance of £5 a week. Obviously if he's working then he should be paying more than that but again it would be reduced by one-seventh for every night the QC stays with him. Your daughter could try ringing Child Maintenance Options on 0800 988 0988
or check out http://www.cmoptions.org/ to make sure he isn't spinning her a line to get out of paying his due.
As for the washing machine business I didn't have a washing machine for years when my son was little (1990s). I had to go to the launderette, yes it was a pain in the neck with a pushchair and a little brat in tow but you do what you have to. Eventually I saved enough for a second-hand machine.

anguk

Definately have a look on Ebay for a washing machine or second hand shops. Even an old fashioned spin dryer would be okay if there's only the two of them, she could hand wash the stuff and spin it in the dryer, I picked one up off Ebay for less than £10 when my washer broke, I used it for a couple of months until I could get an automatic washer.