Wages don't cover the basic bills

kingfisherblue

OP, your local council should be able to advise of any welfare advice in your area - people who will help you fill in forms. If the council don't have any advise workers themselves, they should be able to tell you where Citizen's Advice or any other advice centres are.

Also, the council will be able to help you fill in council tax benefit forms. In my area, you just go to the main council office and someone fills it in for you on the computer. You get a printed copy to check and sign. If you ring your locaol council switchboard they will be able to help you.

RuthnJasper

Ianwindowman wrote: »

hey i am a bloke. the g/f usually sorts this stuff out!! lol

That is not the right attitude. Either you are a family who wants to make things work - or you are not, in which case please do not ask for help on here and trivialise or sneer at the helpful responses posted by those with a genuine desire to assist you. "LOL" is not an appropriate response if your situation is as you originally described it to us.

I genuinely can only afford one meal per day. And sometimes I even go without that so that my dog can eat - because she relies upon me and my situation is no fault of hers, so why should SHE go without?

But YOU say that you have two children in your household, and then go on to say "the g/f usually sorts this out" and "lol"?!

I am sorry if I'm misunderstanding here, but you seem to be looking more at what you are "entitled to" and not "how you can cut back to help yourself and your family".

Apologies for being blunt. I would look to help myself and my loved ones through my own endeavours first before admitting defeat and going cap-in-hand to the country's taxpayers.

nannytone_2

RuthnJasper wrote: »

That is not the right attitude. Either you are a family who wants to make things work - or you are not, in which case please do not ask for help on here and trivialise or sneer at the helpful responses posted by those with a genuine desire to assist you. "LOL" is not an appropriate response if your situation is as you originally described it to us.

I genuinely can only afford one meal per day. And sometimes I even go without that so that my dog can eat - because she relies upon me and my situation is no fault of hers, so why should SHE go without?

But YOU say that you have two children in your household, and then go on to say "the g/f usually sorts this out" and "lol"?!

I am sorry if I'm misunderstanding here, but you seem to be looking more at what you are "entitled to" and not "how you can cut back to help yourself and your family".

Apologies for being blunt. I would look to help myself and my loved ones through my own endeavours first before admitting defeat and going cap-in-hand to the country's taxpayers.

exactly.
no one is going to chase the OP, offering them benefits,
it is up to each individual to find out their entitlement and claim.

Morlock

Ianwindowman wrote: »

How do people on the dole afford big TVs and cars on finance?

They don't, but you run a car and claim benefits, what's the difference?

iluvmarmite

Ianwindowman wrote: »

we will just go on the dole and get everything we have ever wanted. we give up

If that's what you think then you are in for a big shock, those you read about in the oh so reliable press, you know the ones, lovely homes, big tvs latest smart phones, and those who are on drugs, drink copious amounts of alcohol, live in the lap of luxury, well don't believe everything you hear.

The amount of money you get on JSA is the bare minimum you need to live on, they don't allow money for debt, big tvs, satellite telly etc, those who spend it on drink and drugs (yes it does happen) are either on the rob, on the fiddle or going without food to pay for these things.

Those with big tellies probably have them from bright house and are paying weekly for them, living on pot noodles to do so, those with nice homes probably got furniture from family, smart phones are handed down when an upgrade has been had.

Whatever anyone says you don't get enough money from the government to live a luxurious lifestyle unless you are getting money from other sources as well so don't think you will get all you ever wanted by signing on!

Yes you will get your rent paid, but it won't be cash in your pocket, unless of course you decide to spend it but that would be silly as then you will be homeless, you may think that's good as you won't have rent to fork out for, but the cash you do get will be just enough to cover your utility bills and food. If you give up work to sign on for no other reason than you think you will be better of signing on then you will be sanctioned and won't get any money, you will have to apply for hardship payments which are a percentage if what you would get from JSA, so you will be even worse off.

letthemeatcake

Have you sorted out the free school meals yet? You need to take a copy of your most recent tax credit award into the school office, the school will photo copy it and give you an additional (name of school, childs name, ) form to fill in.Some schools now allow you to do this online.

They usually need the tax credit letter to be dated within the last 3 months but don't let that put you off as the school can still provide free school meals in the meantime. You just have to sign yet another form.

306chris

iluvmarmite wrote: »

If that's what you think then you are in for a big shock, those you read about in the oh so reliable press, you know the ones, lovely homes, big tvs latest smart phones, and those who are on drugs, drink copious amounts of alcohol, live in the lap of luxury, well don't believe everything you hear.

The amount of money you get on JSA is the bare minimum you need to live on, they don't allow money for debt, big tvs, satellite telly etc, those who spend it on drink and drugs (yes it does happen) are either on the rob, on the fiddle or going without food to pay for these things.

Those with big tellies probably have them from bright house and are paying weekly for them, living on pot noodles to do so, those with nice homes probably got furniture from family, smart phones are handed down when an upgrade has been had.

Whatever anyone says you don't get enough money from the government to live a luxurious lifestyle unless you are getting money from other sources as well so don't think you will get all you ever wanted by signing on!

Yes you will get your rent paid, but it won't be cash in your pocket, unless of course you decide to spend it but that would be silly as then you will be homeless, you may think that's good as you won't have rent to fork out for, but the cash you do get will be just enough to cover your utility bills and food. If you give up work to sign on for no other reason than you think you will be better of signing on then you will be sanctioned and won't get any money, you will have to apply for hardship payments which are a percentage if what you would get from JSA, so you will be even worse off.

Fully agree with this, having spent the last three months on JSA (myself, partner adn our two children) I can tell you that its not the easy life people think it is. We have had to adjust our lifestyle accordingly. For starters the car has gone and I now cycle to town, Jobcentre, interviews etc.

I know many families in the local area that have a 50" telly, but they dress their kids in rags, eat poorly and dont look after their free house. Then there are those that simply have extra dubious (sp?) income to live the lifestyle they choose.

It's hard to live on JSA but if you cut your cloth accordingly and make your expectations realistic then you can get by. You certainly learn how much money you wasted on crap before.

nannytone_2

i know its hard for families, especially those that are used to working and bringing in a wage.

but the system is so much more generous to those with chikldren than it is to singletone or those without children.

how anyone can maintain a home, even without having to pay rent, on £71 a week is beyond me

merlin68

Well on the dole he would get 258 a week which include jsa, cb and ctc plus his rent and council tax paid school dinners and health costs.
Would you work for less than dole money?
op your child tax should be £113 a week with wtc on top.

Caz3121

merlin68 wrote: »

op your child tax should be £113 a week with wtc on top.

as long as one of them work over 16 hours (OP says they work 30 hours between them so if that is 15 each they will not get WTC)