BENEFIT CAP-Down almost £7000 help!!!

desperatemumof6

Due to the new cap I lose over £90 a week plus get an £800 council tax bill. I am a single mum of 6 under 12's and can't make ends meet as is. Trying like mad to find a job but 12mths with no luck, I don't live in an area where there are many. Haven't slept properly for months worrying about it and it seems there is no-one to help.
I am heading for a return to bankruptcy, loosing my rented council house and I've even considered the long term possibility that I can't afford to feed my children and having to have them placed with foster family's!!!! Desperate for advice. I can't even afford to phone the CAB helpline this week! It's been months since I have even managed to escape my overdraft. Surely I am not alone in this situation. How can we put kids in this poverty....new shoes a warm home and food should be important to our children! We don't drink smoke or even go holiday no luxuries here just bills!
Don't judge me or my kids we are not claiming through choice!

bloolagoon

I think you need to be clearer. How do you lose £7000. What benefits and how much now, what will go in the cap.

HappyMJ

desperatemumof6 wrote: »

Due to the new cap I lose over £90 a week plus get an £800 council tax bill. I am a single mum of 6 under 12's and can't make ends meet as is. Trying like mad to find a job but 12mths with no luck, I don't live in an area where there are many. Haven't slept properly for months worrying about it and it seems there is no-one to help.
I am heading for a return to bankruptcy, loosing my rented council house and I've even considered the long term possibility that I can't afford to feed my children and having to have them placed with foster family's!!!! Desperate for advice. I can't even afford to phone the CAB helpline this week! It's been months since I have even managed to escape my overdraft. Surely I am not alone in this situation. How can we put kids in this poverty....new shoes a warm home and food should be important to our children! We don't drink smoke or even go holiday no luxuries here just bills!
Don't judge me or my kids we are not claiming through choice!

Council tax support is not included in the cap so you should still get quite a significant discount on that. My council would ask for 25% of the bill. Your full £800 bill should have been reduced to 75% for single adult occupancy and you should be expected to pay £200 a year.

So...you should be getting £500 a week in benefits. It will have to pay the part of the council tax they require plus the rent and then you'll have to make the rest stretch to cover 7 people. You will find a way. Get onto the debt free wannabe board and post a SOA (you don't need to be in debt). Old style money saving will help you stretch the budget so you can afford to live.

Think of it as reducing each persons daily allowance by £2 a day and it might make it a bit easier. Your children should be on free school meals so get them to eat as much at school as possible and feed them toast and porridge oats for breakfast and make a simple cheap dinner on weekdays.

benefitbaby

The cap means the OP benefits are limited to £500 per week (including HB) the first thing that is cut is HB so the OP will have to ensure she pays the shortfall to prevent rent arrears.

It is essential that the OP works out her budget by looking at the household income and expenditure so that a plan can be worked out. CAB or other advice agency should be able to assist with this and then the OP needs to look at ways to cut expenditure or switch to better deals.

The OP may be able to receive short term help via a DHP or DCTA application.

desperatemumof6

Sorry, I lose all my housing benefit that plus a few pounds of my benefit ( not sure which but its around £8 a week from what i have been told) and the £800 council tax.
I get tax credits income support and housing council tax Benefit ATM.
I really am trying to find work and must admit the charges for 6 children in daycare during the holidays aren't going to be fun when I finally find something.

HappyMJ

desperatemumof6 wrote: »

Sorry, I lose all my housing benefit that plus a few pounds of my benefit ( not sure which but its around £8 a week from what i have been told) and the £800 council tax.
I get tax credits income support and housing council tax Benefit ATM.
I really am trying to find work and must admit the charges for 6 children in daycare during the holidays aren't going to be fun when I finally find something.

When you do find work you won't be much better off anyway as you will lose all benefits and have to pay for childcare so I wouldn't worry too much about trying to find work and look at ways of saving money at home instead. Cook everything from scratch for instance banning all branded products from the kitchen. Shop only at Aldi/Lidl.

Pleae check with council regarding your council tax. You are able to claim Council Tax Support which should help with a large percentage of the bill and that's not included in the cap.

desperatemumof6

Shed boy- I was married and working when I had my children. I left an abusive relationship hence the fact we are in this situation I am sorry if that offends you. But comments like that are not needed I am asking for advice not rude comments.

ILW

Is there a reason the childrens father is not supporting them?

desperatemumof6

My council tax bill of £800 is with the 25% off and based on the fact I receive IS. It should be well over £1000.

My ex was made redundant recently so no payments off him for a while.

I don't want to receive benefits and my children have been bullied about it. One child told my 7yr old she was too poor to play with now her mum didn't work. I'm budgeting for all I am worth even sat here now with my coat on to avoid turning the heating on before the children return home.

bloolagoon

desperatemumof6 wrote: »

My council tax bill of £800 is with the 25% off and based on the fact I receive IS. It should be well over £1000.

My ex was made redundant recently so no payments off him for a while.

I don't want to receive benefits and my children have been bullied about it. One child told my 7yr old she was too poor to play with now her mum didn't work. I'm budgeting for all I am worth even sat here now with my coat on to avoid turning the heating on before the children return home.

But you have a disabled child therefore are exempt from the cap?

desperatemumof6

My daughter no longer recieves any benefits I am very fortunate that her condition has improved so much that I no longer have to have any help for her.