Benefits and children leaving home.

Londonsu

Deleted_User wrote: »

Equally, people who don't earn benefits are at risk of loosing their jobs and be unable to pay the rent.
But I know it is a LL's right to accept or refuse whoever they want.

Well actually that's not true, many LLs are not allowed to rent to benefit tenants due to rules laid down by their mortgage provider and/or insurance company

Lioness_Twinkletoes

Deleted_User wrote: »

I work from 8:30 until 4pm then do extra jobs until around 6pm, 7pm and sometimes even until 10pm.
Still not enough.
My daughter is nearly 8 only. I have 10 years to figure this out.

Then you are either earning a pittance or living beyond your means supported by the state. So you need to either:

Take some evening/weekend courses and improve your earning potential
Move somewhere you can afford.

gettingready

I have a undergraduate degree from my country and with it I can do a Masters here.

Then do it, get out of the benefits trap and then you will be able to relax.

I assume you are in London?

Have you looked at https://www.bbk.ac.uk?

Birkbeck is an excellent place for adult/working people study. Do not waste your time on some local college unrecognised "qualifications" that will not get you anywhere. Aim high. Before your daughter gets to 18 (you only got one child right? I thought you had 2 but now I think you only have one?) - you will be firmly on your 2 feet without any benefits.

GwylimT

I worry about what my brother will do in the stage between his severely disabled son moving into residential care when my brother is unable to look after him and him finding/starting a full time job. He lives in one of the cheapest areas of the UK in a council house and he still struggles as his sons DLA and child benefit doesn't come close to covering his mobility needs nevermind anything else so he can't afford to put anything away for a rainy day. Most likely we will help him out until he until he finds fulltime employment, if it wasn't for us already helping him financially.

It really is bonkers, his son is severely disabled and attends a special school twice a week for two hours at a time as he has only been able to secure four hours of nurse attendance a week. Due to his sons needs my brother doesn't break even each month despite living in a council house in a very cheap area of the UK so we help him as much as we can. I do find it crazy that if he wanted he could have his son put in fulltime residential care right now which would cost tena of thousands of pounds per year, yet he could barely feed himself without our help on top of his benefits and small wage. It would be much cheaper to up his benefits a little/award more carer hours as as it stands he wont cope much longer and his son will end up in care as my brother simply wont be able to cope.

If we lived closer it would be easier but unfortunately we don't and he can't afford to move otherwise we could give him a break on a regular basis or even look after him so my brother can work more than four hours a week.

You would think carers would be better supported with the amount of money they save the UK each year.

Unfortunately for him when he is able to return to work it will be unskilled and poorly paid work as he has been unable to better himself while caring for his son so he is likely to be even worse off which is very frustrating.

seven-day-weekend

Deleted_User wrote: »

I work from 8:30 until 4pm then do extra jobs until around 6pm, 7pm and sometimes even until 10pm.
Still not enough.
My daughter is nearly 8 only. I have 10 years to figure this out.

Why isn't it enough, all those hours at even at minimum wage should be enough to live on if you get your rent paid.

moomoomama27

This will be the downfall of the many who gave ur use their children as cash cows and rely heavily on any child related in one they generate.

Firstly the state didn't ask you to have a child/ren so they shouldn't be held accountable when you need to adjust your lifestyle and finances once you are no longer eligible for benefits.

In the case if the OP if you really cannot afford to live once child related benefits are withdrawn then you really need to start thinking now, and btw not all benefit pays up until 18/19, especially if your child chooses to move out to embark upon an apprenticeship that is not eligible for child related benefits to be paid.

So start to improve your education/qualifications. Look into moving into a cheaper area, taking on different jobs, adjusting your budget accordingly.

ohreally

jaylee3 wrote: »

When the child tax credits and child benefit stops, then that's because the youngest has hit 18, so why on EARTH would the parent(s) not get a job at that point?

Lazyba$tarditis.

FBaby

thanks gettingready for putting things into perspective. I think many posters forget how ridiculously expensive living in London is. Of course, no one is forced with doing so, but when you're a single parent working full-time, there is so much to take into consideration, mainly your support network which is so important to be able to cope with the demand of full-time work, and of course ensuring that contact with father, if appropriate is accommodated appropriately.

Also, OP might have never lived anywhere else in England but London, so deciding where else they could go to start a new life must be quite a daunting prospect.

gettingready

FBaby - many people, even those living in London feel that east London is some no go area but there are absolutely great places in this part and linked flats above are exactly in those parts.

It is a council estate but most flats are now private, there is never ever any trouble here, kids play out in the summer, quiet, clean and safe - things that a single parent with a young child needs to keep in mind. Yes, I live around here and have been for the past 7-8 years and never regretted moving.

Another one, same area:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-50662430.html

perhaps some other posters could suggest other parts to the OP? With links to areas they personally know are affordable AND suitable for a single mum with a young daughter? Perhaps that would be of some help to OP?

Friend of mine moved from a 4 bed semi in Edgware to a tiny 2 bed conversion in Peckham following a break up of her relationship. When I heard "Peckham" I was terrified - I am not personally familiar with that area and unknown is scary. But she now lives there for like 5 years and says it is ok. Far from Edgware "poshness" (part where she was was really posh) but ok. But she does not have young kids and lives with her new partner and they both drive everywhere.

Spendless

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Why isn't it enough, all those hours at even at minimum wage should be enough to live on if you get your rent paid.

She won't get in paid in full, she'll get a contribution based on her needing to house her and her child. The amount she receives will reduce once the child is 18 and leaves school/college. The op lives in London where rents are high.