Tricky situation

danielanthony

Normally it is the father in this situation and they don't get much sympathy on these boards.

Going by what I've seen advised here in the past you will only be entitled to a one bedroom place (if over 35) and you'll be expected to sleep on the sofa when your kids visit.

Unfortunately as you don't have your children for the majority of the week, the state sees you as a single person and you will get no allowances for the fact you have children as these will all be claimed by the other parent.

princess*daisy

Hello :wave:

Sorry to hear about your situation. It sounds awful

Have a look to see if you have a foodbank close by that would be able to sort you out with some basic food items when your crisis loan runs out - http://www.trusselltrust.org/

Also, you should contact Shelter immediately if you are struggling to pay your rent and facing eviction - http://www.shelter.org.uk/

Good luck.

RainbowDreamer

I phoned the council today and they have awarded me the discretionary housing benefit payment until the 6th aug.
So.. once I get paid the next payment at the beginning of aug I will be fully paid up for rent and all arrears cleared.
I will then be paid up until the 1st september. I will then get the bedsit rate of hb until my next court hearing, which means I will then only have arrears of about £300.

So then.. once I have residency back it will take however many weeks of no income, but I should be backdated. So should then be able to clear all rental arrears in a maximum of 3 months... which means my landlord is not going to start eviction proceedings so I am ecstatic about that.

I have no other income at the moment. Have spend my crisis loan on electric and food. But a friend of mine has given me £50 to help me out a little. I have bought some cheap sun cream for the kids that will last ages as it was buy one get one free.

So I now have £40 left which I won't need to spend until at least in a weeks time. So I am now not in crisis.. but able to plod along for now.

I will look at the foodbank link and see if there is one in my area, as in a week or two if I am completely stuck and the job centre havent decided anything then at least I know it is there as a possibility.

Fingers crossed my court date comes through soon and that it isnt too far away. And hoping I get a decent cafcass report and a decent judge.

RainbowDreamer

Welfare rights have advised I see my GP for a sick note for stress. So to the person who advised this, what happens then?
Welfare rights say I would then be entitled to ESA, but cannot find anything online which states that.
I am reluctant to admit how much things are currently effecting me, but I cannot live how I am at the moment.
I have had a food bank parcel dropped off this evening, which is enough food for 3 days. But whilst I do not have the children I am going to eat the minimum needed to plod on and save the rest for the kids.

Darlyd

RainbowDreamer wrote: »

Welfare rights have advised I see my GP for a sick note for stress. So to the person who advised this, what happens then?
Welfare rights say I would then be entitled to ESA, but cannot find anything online which states that.
I am reluctant to admit how much things are currently effecting me, but I cannot live how I am at the moment.
I have had a food bank parcel dropped off this evening, which is enough food for 3 days. But whilst I do not have the children I am going to eat the minimum needed to plod on and save the rest for the kids.

A sick note for more than 2 weeks will get you ESA, I would ask your GP for one for a few months though.

I think it's 9 weeks then you have to go for a medical and then be put into a certain cat. (search the boards more info).

Good luck

Ellejmorgan

I was in a similar situation, my contact with my children had been increased and they were to be returned to my care, this was put through court...

My daughter then 2 years old was sleeping at my house 3 days a week and I looked after her for 4 days, during the day to get her used to transition..

I still had to go in and say I was available for work 7 days per week, court meant nothing to them, I smiled sweetly and listened to the yada yada even up until the day I got her back I was getting hassled...

I feel for you I really do, been there..

RainbowDreamer

My GP has given me a sick note for 4 weeks. I have phoned today and started my claim for ESA and have been into the job centre to sign off.
My housing benefit has been suspended again due to my JSA being suspended. So I have been in and declared my income of nothing between then and now, and I have declared that I have today claimed for ESA and they have taken a copy of my sick note.

I have been given a different antidepressant as last time. One which will not cause increased anxiety whilst my body gets used to him.
I have to go back to my GP in 4 weeks time to review the medication and to see if I am then fit for work.

So I currently have zero income, but at least it is all being assessed.

I am allowed 2/3 more food parcels and possibly 2 more crisis loans.
So I am going to make the food I have last as long as possible and raid my change jar and see if I have enough to top up my gas.

sniggings

As said before you can get any number of crisis loans whilst your claim is getting looked at, the 3 limit does not apply in those cases, as said also just make sure not to ask for money for emergency credit if you are on a metre as that does count towards the 3 times. But even if you use the 3 times up, you will still get a crisis loan just minus the £5 or whatever for emergency gas amount is.

RainbowDreamer

sniggings.. do you mean that I can ask as many times as needed for just food? As I am guessing it will now be on the system that I have prepayment gas and electric meters. Sorry, this was the first time I had ever applied for a crisis loan so I took what they told me as gospel and have been a little bit confused over the process.

sniggings

RainbowDreamer wrote: »

sniggings.. do you mean that I can ask as many times as needed for just food? As I am guessing it will now be on the system that I have prepayment gas and electric meters. Sorry, this was the first time I had ever applied for a crisis loan so I took what they told me as gospel and have been a little bit confused over the process.

Yes if you are applying for a benefit and waiting to hear.

You still can get metre money just dont ask for extra to fill the emergency if it is empty