Children overseas

ambler

I am really hoping that someone may be able to offer me some advice or let me know where I could find the answers to my question. It is a bit complicated so I should first explain my circumstances.

I am a pensioner and have been living with my partner for the past ten years. She is a Filipina and we met whilst I was teaching in the Philippines. We have been in England for the past seven years and she has become a British Citizen and has worked 24hrs a week as a carer since we came to the UK. We have never claimed any form of Benefit.

However I am on a low pension income and she gets the minimum wage and we are starting to struggle financially although we are just above the benefit threshold. Our total income is £1250 a month and whilst some people may feel this is adequate for two people to live on there are many hidden costs. For example, my partner works unsocial hours when busses are not running and spends £16 on taxi fares some days.

My partner uses part of her income to support and educate two dependent children in the Philippines and I am wanting to find out if there is any possibility of us getting an allowance for this expenditure.

I am hoping someone can advise me.

Thanks

DomRavioli

An allowance of what exactly?

Are the children residents of the Philippines?

sulkisu

ambler wrote: »

I am really hoping that someone may be able to offer me some advice or let me know where I could find the answers to my question. It is a bit complicated so I should first explain my circumstances.

I am a pensioner and have been living with my partner for the past ten years. She is a Filipina and we met whilst I was teaching in the Philippines. We have been in England for the past seven years and she has become a British Citizen and has worked 24hrs a week as a carer since we came to the UK. We have never claimed any form of Benefit.

However I am on a low pension income and she gets the minimum wage and we are starting to struggle financially although we are just above the benefit threshold. Our total income is £1250 a month and whilst some people may feel this is adequate for two people to live on there are many hidden costs. For example, my partner works unsocial hours when busses are not running and spends £16 on taxi fares some days.

My partner uses part of her income to support and educate two dependent children in the Philippines and I am wanting to find out if there is any possibility of us getting an allowance for this expenditure.

I am hoping someone can advise me.

Thanks

Any reason why she can't work more than 24 hours? Surely working more hours is the answer.

NYM

I very much doubt there is an 'allowance' that your partner would be entitled to.

Are her children living with their father in the Philippines ?

ambler

Thanks for the responses. it seems I got more questions than answers.

My partners income is added to mine in calculating any benefits we might be entitled to. I was hoping that I could make a deduction for the costs of my partners children. They live with relatives in the Philippines but if they lived with us in the UK we would get all sorts of allowances at the taxpayers expense which we don't want. If we could deduct these expenses we would be eligible for a small amount of assistance which seems fair.

We have so far lived without Benefits but our incomes have not kept pace with increased costs.

My partners employer will not give her any more contracted hours and it would be difficult to fit a second job around her current one.

Just wanting to see if there are possibilities?

Thanks

Icequeen99

ambler wrote: »

Thanks for the responses. it seems I got more questions than answers.

My partners income is added to mine in calculating any benefits we might be entitled to. I was hoping that I could make a deduction for the costs of my partners children. They live with relatives in the Philippines but if they lived with us in the UK we would get all sorts of allowances at the taxpayers expense which we don't want. If we could deduct these expenses we would be eligible for a small amount of assistance which seems fair.

We have so far lived without Benefits but our incomes have not kept pace with increased costs.

My partners employer will not give her any more contracted hours and it would be difficult to fit a second job around her current one.

Just wanting to see if there are possibilities?

Thanks

You can sometimes claim for children outside of the UK when they are in EEA countries, but not the Phillipines. There is no way of making any deductions from your outgoings - your position is no different to someone in this country who is paying maintenance for their children who live with an ex-partner. They can't claim for the child and don't get any deductions.

Unless your partner can increase her hours, if you have too much income for benefits there is really nothing else you can do.

IQ

fabforty

ambler wrote: »

Thanks for the responses. it seems I got more questions than answers.

My partners income is added to mine in calculating any benefits we might be entitled to. I was hoping that I could make a deduction for the costs of my partners children. They live with relatives in the Philippines but if they lived with us in the UK we would get all sorts of allowances at the taxpayers expense which we don't want. If we could deduct these expenses we would be eligible for a small amount of assistance which seems fair.

We have so far lived without Benefits but our incomes have not kept pace with increased costs.

My partners employer will not give her any more contracted hours and it would be difficult to fit a second job around her current one.

Just wanting to see if there are possibilities?

Thanks

Can't she find another employer instead, a job with more hours? I think (someone will correct me if |I am wrong) that one area where there is generally a shortage of workers and therefore relatively more job opportunities, is in the home care field.

[Deleted User]

i`m stuck for words,i can only criticise the OP so i`ll keep my gob shut

ambler

Thanks for that. Subject closed now.

poppasmurf_bewdley

ambler wrote: »

Thanks for that. Subject closed now.

Point of correction. All OPs get to start a thread, but not to halt it. Other forum users decide that.

pineapple123

fabforty wrote: »

Can't she find another employer instead, a job with more hours? I think (someone will correct me if |I am wrong) that one area where there is generally a shortage of workers and therefore relatively more job opportunities, is in the home care field.

Agreed increase in hours is the answer and there are lots of job opportunties around caring esp home and private care. With the ever increasing demand for carers the OP's wife should be able to find work with full time hours and unsociable hours like weekends and nights will bring in extra pay.

Just to add if OP's wife works for an agency these sometimes provide cars to pick up and drop of staff to places of work not sure if it costs and they also pay some travel expenses.
Agency or bank work can fit around a 24 hour working week as the shifts are flexible. Many people manage a part time permanent job and agency/bank work.