Single mum - Self Employment vs. Sitting on my !!!!!

twirlie

delted deleted deleted - sorry, not relevant anymore

elisebutt65

Personally to me that sounds like too unreliable a way to earn a living, although no doubt many people do it, but with a child who is dependent on you, I wouldn't risk it.

You can only earn a tiny amount per week anyway before your benefits stop. I would rather go out and find a part time job - and get littlie looked after by the nursery.

When my 2 were little, my DH also left so I went back to school and have just finished my first degree!!!:T BTW - I used to take them to the dentist with me and they sat in the corner playing with the toys - your littlie's even better cos he can just sit there strapped into a car seat!

mollybilly_2

Hi Twirlie. U say you claim IS, would you be able to claim incapacity benefit and perhaps DLA as well, depending on how your Crohns affects you. Ive got crohns, and ive been surprised by the number of people on the site who have it. Sorry to hear about your problems, bet all the stress doesnt help with your health does it? Hope you find the best way forward, theres loads of good advice here.

twirlie

I applied for something back in 2004 when I was on IS for two months. I got turned down because I hadn't paid enough NI into the system? I don't know what it was I applied for, but I assumed because of that I was getting everything I'm entitled to.

Do you get any other benefits because of your crohns? It affects me - I'm not able to leave the house until maybe mid-day because my crohns flares in the mornings, and obviously because of the azathioprine I have to have regular blood tests. I would LOVE it if I had some extra money and could put my son into daycare just for the mornings. There is a daycare at the end of the street, and it would mean him not sitting on the floor on his own / crashing round the flat in his walker destroying everything while I do numerous bathroom dashes. :S

What kind of documentation would I need to provide? I didn't even know crohns was a condition that meant I could claim anything else!

djdido2

Hi twirlie

Just wanted to say whether you choose to get a job OR go self-employed you go for it! I was on my own with my daughter when she was two and I hated being reliant on benefits but most of all I was bored and frustrated at home all day, so I set up a small business using a loan and have never looked back since then. DD will be 11 this year.

Self employment can have disadvantages as my income fluctuates alot but I have never had to go back to relying on benefits. I can work the hours I want and have no-one to answer to.

Good Luck!!

Dido

twirlie

How did you do it though? I mean, theres WTC, but the only part of that that would really help me is the childcare, and how do I justify asking for help with the childcare costs when I'm home all day anyway? Surely they'd just deny me?

And with a fluctuting income, I'd still be heavily reliant on benefits such as HB, which I think gets adjusted based on an average that they decide I earn a month, whether or not I actually do...

I just seems like a huge maze that I can't figure a way out of.

real1314

ok, bit of info for you:

1. you can claim the WTC as self employed, has to be over 16 hrs a week

2. I think that you should also be ok for the childcare costs - you're still working even though it's from home. I doubt they'll even consider this as an issue

3. You can still get HB - they way to guestimate what you get is to take your IS+CTC+Child benefit total from your new income, then reduce it to 65% (roughly take off a third). The figure you're left with is what you'll have to pay in rent (assuming you're in council or housing assoc property).

hth