Benefits advice

Woodsylou

Hi! PMLindyloo advised me to come here and seek some advice. I hope someone could help.

i am having to move house due to my landlord selling. From the 'entitled to' website when i put in my details as though i've already moved, it seems i am entitled to more help. But i have to be honest and im dubious of this!! does anyone know if i could have a meeting with a benefits adviser to discuss situations and circumstances?

thank you!

Louise

Sncjw

help with what. very vaugue for us to know if it would help you more

Woodsylou

basically i don't know who to talk to! is there someone i can call or have a meeting with? our outgoings are going to increase as we need to move and when i put the new circumstances into Entitledto calculator it said i could be entitled to up to £200 a week of benefits? that sounds so much! i don't know if it is correct. Basically if i am looking for a new property having a rough idea of how much i could be bringing home helps me budget for what i can afford. So im just looking to speak to someone on the telephone or face to face if possible?

pmlindyloo

Woodsylou wrote: »

Hi! PMLindyloo advised me to come here and seek some advice. I hope someone could help.

i am having to move house due to my landlord selling. From the 'entitled to' website when i put in my details as though i've already moved, it seems i am entitled to more help. But i have to be honest and im dubious of this!! does anyone know if i could have a meeting with a benefits adviser to discuss situations and circumstances?

thank you!

Louise

Hi

If you could tell us your circumstances so:

You - hrs worked - salary
Your OH - hrs worked - salary
Children - ages, childcare
Any disabilities?
Rent on future property?

To be honest the entitledto calculator is usually pretty accurate.

Are you currently claiming tax credits?

If you look up your maximum local housing allowance for your household on your local council's website this will tell you the maximum amount of HB that you would be eligible for.

This would give you an indication of the amount of rent that you should be aiming for in your new place.

You can go to CAB for a benefit calculation.

Woodsylou

Me 26 hours a week - £9.50/hr
OH 37 hours a week - £33k per annum
Children, two, aged currently 3 and 2. in childcare at £320 a month
no disabilites
Rent per month is £900

the only benefit we get currently is child benefit of about £134 a month

thank you

pmlindyloo

Because you have childcare costs then I believe that you may be entitled to tax credits

See here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-credits-entitlement-tables-working-at-least-16-hours-and-paying-childcare/tax-credits-entitlement-tables-working-at-least-16-hours-and-paying-childcare

Tax credits are counted as income as regards HB so you need to get this sorted first.

Tax credits are also based on the previous tax year's income. Were your salaries the same then?

I suggest you telephone tax credits (google for the number) and ask for a form to claim.

Woodsylou

yes. thank you!

pmlindyloo

Actually I think I have misread your information. Your childcare costs are £320 a month.

My apologies, I read this as £320 a week.

Did you do the same on the calculator? Try it again.

Based on those figures I don't think you will be eligible for tax credits nor any other benefits.

Mmmm - perhaps your best approach is to play around with the calculator as regards the hrs you work and child care (if you can get more hrs and child care)

You need to look up your local housing allowance on the council's website for the 2 bed rate.

Plus, you seem to have a fairly healthy income so you might want to pop over to the Debtfree Wannabe forum and find ways to reduce your expenditure.

My apologies again. I expect I will get a rollicking from Blond bubbles (one of our regulars and tax credits 'experts' ) for making a pig's ear of it all.

My apologies once again.