New single parent farther needing advice for benafits

Woody112

Firstly thanks for looking at my post ,,

I have recently been granted full residency for my 13 year old daughter ,, I have previously worked as an offshore engineer all over the world so you can imagine both our lives have changed ..

I am no longer able to work in my job due to the time required staying away from home ,, I don't have my own property but am currently house sharing with a family member ..

Any advice on benafits that I could claim for myself and daughter whilste I am looking to setup a new home and find a new job would be gratefull ,, were pretty much at the start line but with no where to go as we have no savings ..

Thanks

BigAunty

You will find the Turn2us online benefit calculator a great help to ascertain your benefits now and when you move to a new place.

Are you giving up your job? The DWP sanction people in employment who voluntarily give up their job without good reason and don't allow them to claim Job Seekers Allowance for up to 6 months (but they can claim a lesser hardship sum). Other posters will tell you if your child care responsibilities will be classed as a good reason.

Off the top of my head, you might be able to receive JSA of around £67 per week, child tax credits and child benefit.

You won't be able to get housing benefit if you live in the same property as a close family member who is the landlord - the Shelter website has good info on this, who is classed as a close family member, how HB (Local Housing Allowance for the private sector) works.

You would be able to qualify for a 2 bedroom rate of Local Housing Allowance which is calculated on the cheapest third of local market rents. See the Direct Gov or Local council website for the rate. Many landlords won't accept LHA claimants though.

You could also apply to the local council for social housing but might not be considered a priority while housed by relatives as it's only really the homeless with dependents that are treated as a priority (see the homelessness section of the Shelter website about the process for social housing allocation).

Many councils operate deposit guarantee schemes for tenants on low income/in housing need to help them with the deposit for a private landlord. There is probably a DWP loan to help with the first month's rent - hopefully another poster will outline it.

Whatever child maintenance you get from the mother won't affect your benefits (15% of her gross salary is the sum that the CSA will seek if you go down this route because you don't reach a private agreement)

zagfles

JSA (£71pw)
Child tax credit (£62pw)
Child benefit (£20pw)
(If child's mother is claiming either of these you'll need to tell her to drop the claim - if she doesn't, report her for benefit fraud as she needs to inform HMRC that your daughter is no longer living with her).
Probably not housing benefit unless you are paying a commercial rent and you'd get chucked out if you didn't pay it.
If the other family member is single and they pay the council tax, they should get second adult rebate while you're out of work (25% off), regardless of their income.

Check https://www.turn2us.entitledto.co.uk/entitlementcalculator.aspx

Woody112

Thanks for the speedy responses that's really helpfull ,,

My job has been suspended due to me not being able to continue to work .. So lookining to claim jsa untill I can find a new job ..

I have applied for child benafit but we are still confirming my legal guardianship with the courts ..but yes daughter will be staying with me for good ..

I'm in shock did someone say claim csa I've been paying nearly six hundred pound a month for 12 years whilste being employed , so I can receive csa ?

Does anybody know about a grant so that I can put a deposit down on a small house that we have seen I've been told this is possible and the rent is withing budget of 550 PCM

pmlindyloo

Woody112 wrote: »

Firstly thanks for looking at my post ,,

I have recently been granted full residency for my 13 year old daughter ,, I have previously worked as an offshore engineer all over the world so you can imagine both our lives have changed ..

I am no longer able to work in my job due to the time required staying away from home ,, I don't have my own property but am currently house sharing with a family member ..

Any advice on benafits that I could claim for myself and daughter whilste I am looking to setup a new home and find a new job would be gratefull ,, were pretty much at the start line but with no where to go as we have no savings ..

Thanks

Your reason for leaving your job because of your child care responsibilities will, I believe be considered 'just cause'. Cannot guarantee it as each case is considered on an individual basis.

As regards housing. when you say you are sharing with a family member do you mean they are 'putting you up' and you have no rental agreement?

Depending on the circumstances you may be considered legally homeless especially if you have no liability for rent and the accommodation is overcrowded.

You should visit your local council housing department and speak to them.

At the very least they should be able to offer you advice as to what to do in your circumstances.

They may be able to offer you help with your deposit - no money exchanges hand but they guarantee to your landlord that they will pay for any damages.

Also they may have a list of landlords who accept tenants on benefits.

paddedjohn

zagfles wrote: »

JSA (£71pw)
Child tax credit (£62pw)
Child benefit (£20pw)
(If child's mother is claiming either of these you'll need to tell her to drop the claim - if she doesn't, report her for benefit fraud as she needs to inform HMRC that your daughter is no longer living with her).
Probably not housing benefit unless you are paying a commercial rent and you'd get chucked out if you didn't pay it.
If the other family member is single and they pay the council tax, they should get second adult rebate while you're out of work (25% off), regardless of their income.

Check https://www.turn2us.entitledto.co.uk/entitlementcalculator.aspx

How does that work then, I thought the 25% discount was only applicable if there was only one adult in the premises (working or not). When a second adult moves in the 25% discount is lost even if both adults are unemployed.

BigAunty

Woody112 wrote: »

...

I'm in shock did someone say claim csa I've been paying nearly six hundred pound a month for 12 years whilste being employed , so I can receive csa ?

..

It's not just non-resident fathers that pay, it's non-resident parents.

You can either reach a private family agreement or take the mother to the CSA.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/ChildMaintenance/Arrangingchildmaintenance/DG_199174

Woody112 wrote: »

...


Does anybody know about a grant so that I can put a deposit down on a small house that we have seen I've been told this is possible and the rent is withing budget of 550 PCM

There's probably some kind of DWP loan for the first month's rent (you'd have to pay this and a deposit upfront) - hopefully another poster can give you info on the loan (loan not a grant, grants aren't paid back).

Your council may operate a deposit guarantee scheme for the deposit. See their website.

zagfles

paddedjohn wrote: »

How does that work then, I thought the 25% discount was only applicable if there was only one adult in the premises (working or not). When a second adult moves in the 25% discount is lost even if both adults are unemployed.

This always seems to come as a shock to people whenever I mention it. It's been around donkey's year's, probably since council tax was introduced.

Where the second adult (unless the partner) of the owner/council tax payer is on a low income they get the 25% discount. Regardless of the income of the first adult.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/technical-guidance/rr2-a-guide-to-housing-benefit/working-it-out/#aa4