CSA & Jobseekers

alisara

Wonder if anyone can help. My temp job came to an end last week. I have been struggling to find permanent work for a long time (still applying like mad and going for interviews/constantly on phone to agencies trying to find more work) This is the first time since age 18 I have been out of work and I am scared.

I have a 13 year old dd (have posted in the past about being in private rental and getting no maintenance from husband etc etc....)


A month ago divorce papers came through and now out of the blue I am to receive a substantial monthly payment from the CSA each month, (please note I am not a scrounger always worked and supported dd, husband left 10 years ago and never helped). Now with this payment I am to receive each month and with me now unemployed will I be able to claim unemployment benefit and receive maintenance, until I get back on my feet with a new job?

mum2one

Any CSA payments are disregarded for tax credits and any form of JSA/IS/ESA etc.

It use to be that you could only keep the 1st £20, but they changed it over, and you get to keep the lot.

Hope you get sorted out jobwise, xx

alisara

ty mum to one - that was a quick reply. I have been sat looking at the phone been unemployed now for almost a week wondering whether I should claim unemployment benefit or not. I am coming accross as really greedy but - I struggled on my own for 10 years, I have always worked hard and my dd deserves this maintenance.

kevin137

It' all yours all the time they keep collecting for you...

Please don't become reliant on it though, if they don't collect it could leave you short and there is nothing worse...

I hope it is regular for you though...

RAS

Do yourself a proper benefit check through www.turn2us.org.uk and then use the CSA payment as you see fit to make life easier.

galangm8

kevin137 wrote: »

It' all yours all the time they keep collecting for you...

Please don't become reliant on it though, if they don't collect it could leave you short and there is nothing worse...

I hope it is regular for you though...

???????

Just enjoy, relax and accept the help from the FATHER of your children... whether he willingly or the 'law' had to order him to HELP...

You sound like you have had so much stress to deal with........good luck.

alisara

ty glangym8 you are so right I do and am under a lot of stress, and I will accept the help, he is still my husband and will always be the father of my child and it has been a long long time before the CSA and I could track him down!

kevin137

galangm8 wrote: »

???????

Just enjoy, relax and accept the help from the FATHER of your children... whether he willingly or the 'law' had to order him to HELP...

You sound like you have had so much stress to deal with........good luck.

Eh...?

I didn't say not to enjoy it and relax, i said not to become reliant on it...!

There are many reasons why it could stop all of a sudden, and if you are reliant on it, you could find yourself in a financial mess.

So i stick by what i said in not being reliant on the money, and certainly not in the short term, if it goes well, comes regularly, then it is easier to trust the money coming in. But say you ex if off sick one month, then if he does not get sick pay, there is not enough money to pay the CSA and the CSA don't pay you... What do you do...???

It is very easy to incur £00's in charges because you can't pay bills if you become reliant...