No longer the single parent?

mygirllollypop

I am for a short time no longer going to be the primary carer for my children. Not through abuse or anything I just had a breakdown and am struggling to cope.

I currently claim benefits as a single parent but in the next few months I'll be handing over the little ones into their Dads care, I also get disability benefits.

I'll obviously hand over all the child related benefits and Child support etc.. but I am unsure what will happen to my Income support as I claim as both a single parent and disabled, Will I need to end the claim and reapply? or will I just inform them of the change in circumstances and carry on ticking over?

As I am under 25, I get £30 a week more on Income Support vs ESA according to Entitled to, but I don't know about support/working group, ages or anything.

I liked the idea of having more support to get back into the workplace with ESA verses just being left to flounder about with IS, but I've already made plans to return to college in september 2012 based on being on IS as the course is part time but would definatly affect my ability to do training elsewhere etc..

Does anyone have a better idea as to what I will be left with?

Thanks very much

nannytone_2

you wouldnt be getting income support for both being a single parent AND being disabled.
id assume your main reason for receiving it would be becaise you have a child under 5 ( when i claimed income support, i got it for having care of a chold ... once she reached an age where i didnt wualify, i had to claim incapacity... get refused and then reclaim income support as i am disabled)

you received more money as a single parent, but now you no longer have care of the kids, you will be assessed in the same way as a single person under the age of 25, but if you no longer have care of your children, then you need to be claiming ESA

pmlindyloo

I think this is rather complicated since this appears to be a temporary absence.

When you say you will be handing over the Child Benefit and, I presume, the Child Tax Credit, do you mean you will give your ex the money you receive? If you notify both departments about the change of circumstances, you could transfer the Child Benefit (I believe) but I don't think you could transfer the tax credits as it is possible that your ex would not qualify for the tax credits you receive.

As I said all very difficult.

Personally I would get in touch about your Income Support and explain what is happening. There may be a certain amount of time that your children can be absent from your home without it affecting any of the benefits you receive. Then you could arrange privately with your ex the financial side of things.

Unless someone on the forum has experience of this or can quote the relevant 'rules' then I would get in touch with all the relevant departments to find out from the 'horses mouth' so to speak.

mygirllollypop

Thanks I will go into the local Jobcentre, but I didnt want to do it too soon and then be made to change it before we have sorted out the finer details of when they are going and who is going to be living where.

We were planning on the kids Dad claiming the child related benefits for the girls as it just makes sense if he has them as we dont know how long its going to last, dependant on my recovery I guess... it could be 3 months or it could be a year we really dont know.

Mollycat13

Not sure on the income support part of your query.

But... If you no longer have dependant children living with you, it will affect any housing benefit you currently receive.

If you are in social housing, there are reductions in housing benefit for each extra bedroom you have.

If you rent ptivately, you would only be entitled to the shared room rate (based on being under 35) I don't know what the rules are if you get disability benefits but, I would strongly advise you check this out before you find yourself in a situation where you are getting behind with your rent.

RAS

If the children are only away for 13 weeks, then you can retain their CB and benefits for that period and hand over the money. After that time, your ex needs to claim for them.

mygirllollypop

Thank-you Ras that is really helpful