New income support claim

sadandlonely

Just need some advice really.

Did a new income support claim this morning. Background info: just finished my maternity leave with maternity allowance ending today. I am still ebf my ds and he is very clingy for only me. I decided not to go back to work right yet and to take a few more months out to get him used to other people and to continue the weaning. I am a single parent and left my husband last November.

Now I did the claim this morning but a few questions threw me as I haven't claimed since my eldest ds who is now 9 when he was a baby.

They asked was i available for work? I said yes.
They asked about my job. Now I was a casual worker who left last May on maternity. I was sent my p45 in the post as I was taken off the system. I was put back on due to an admin error in July. Should I have explained this. I haven't worked since last May.

Do my childrens savings accounts which my signature runs the accounts, are these savings taken into account as my savings?

I'm very confused now, thinking I have messed up my claim. Any help appreciated x

mikey_bach

You haven't messed up your claim so don't worry, standard questions they ask. They just needed all the details.

With regards to your ex, has he left your property and do you know his new address ?. If he has and you do, then no problems, if not, then they may do a visit before processing as opposed to doing a visit after. All standard in a new claim so nothing to worry about

What is the value of the capital held in the children's names?. Capital belonging to a child doesn't normally effect I.S but they will ask about it.

sadandlonely

mikey_bach wrote: »

You haven't messed up your claim so don't worry, standard questions they ask. They just needed all the details.

With regards to your ex, has he left your property and do you know his new address ?. If he has and you do, then no problems, if not, then they may do a visit before processing as opposed to doing a visit after. All standard in a new claim so nothing to worry about

What is the value of the capital held in the children's names?. Capital belonging to a child doesn't normally effect I.S but they will ask about it.

I moved into a new property and he never came with me. I don't have an address for him as he is staying at different friends houses ATM. I have no issues with them doing a visit though as I have nothing to hide.

Would it be worth me asking him if he has a fixed abode so my claim goes through straight forward rather than have the delay because of the house visit?

The children only have 150 in each account. The other account my eldest holds is a ctf which I can't access anyway. These accounts can't be accessed for 3 years. It's their money though for their future.

Thank you for your advice, i can relax a bit now. It's been 9 years since I was on IS and it's changed so much since then xx

mikey_bach

I would ask him for his address, even a care of address is better then nothing. On the form it asks for the date of separation, name of ex partner, NINO and address if known,
I know when they are processing the claims they will ring and ask if you have an address for him, so you could give it then, or write it on the form when they send it back for you to sign.
Your children's saving are fine don't worry.
Also when did you get your last Maternity Pay, this will be attributed forward for the period it covers eg say you got the last weeks money last Friday then it will be taken into account until tomorrow.
are you getting WTC this should have ceased by now and if not you need to stop it.
Your claim will be fine, don't worry....

sadandlonely

mikey_bach wrote: »

I would ask him for his address, even a care of address is better then nothing. On the form it asks for the date of separation, name of ex partner, NINO and address if known,
I know when they are processing the claims they will ring and ask if you have an address for him, so you could give it then, or write it on the form when they send it back for you to sign.
Your children's saving are fine don't worry.
Also when did you get your last Maternity Pay, this will be attributed forward for the period it covers eg say you got the last weeks money last Friday then it will be taken into account until tomorrow.
are you getting WTC this should have ceased by now and if not you need to stop it.
Your claim will be fine, don't worry....

Can I double check though. When they asked if I was able to work, I said yes? That was ok to say was it. If my ds would stay with other people I would have gone back to work. Thank you Mickey bach

Toomuchdebt

I think you should have said no as he is under 5 you will get IS anyway-if you say you are available they will put you on JSA surely?

mikey_bach

You have grounds to claim I.S you are a single parent with a child under five, it was ok to say yes to the question can you work, yes you can and will when you can get child care sorted, some people work part time up to sixteen hours and claim I.S...

If you said you were unable to work through illness for example they may have said claim ESA.

Don't worry the benefit system is there for times like this, your claim will be ok.........

sadandlonely

mikey_bach wrote: »

You have grounds to claim I.S you are a single parent with a child under five, it was ok to say yes to the question can you work, yes you can and will when you can get child care sorted, some people work part time up to sixteen hours and claim I.S...

If you said you were unable to work through illness for example they may have said claim ESA.

Don't worry the benefit system is there for times like this, your claim will be ok.........

Thank you mikey bach you have been very helpful

sadandlonely

Toomuchdebt wrote: »

I think you should have said no as he is under 5 you will get IS anyway-if you say you are available they will put you on JSA surely?

Thats what i was worried about really. But then again, if i said no, they could say like mikey bach said, to claim esa instead of income support x

mikey_bach

Don't worry OP, your claim will be fine.
and when you get your little ones child care sorted out then you can decide which way to go.
You will still have to attend work focused interviews on I.S but these are for advice only and they will not force you into work.
They are helpful though and your Lone Parent Adviser can give you lots of help and support...

sadandlonely

mikey_bach wrote: »

Don't worry OP, your claim will be fine.
and when you get your little ones child care sorted out then you can decide which way to go.
You will still have to attend work focused interviews on I.S but these are for advice only and they will not force you into work.
They are helpful though and your Lone Parent Adviser can give you lots of help and support...

Thank goodness, I can stop worrying now, thank you again Mikey Bach for your advice, much appreciated x