Newly single parent

hellies

I have recently become a single parent of my dd (aged 2) and am 6 months pregnant. My ex oh has disappeared, leaving me with a mortgage and debts. I work full time and pay for dd to go to nursery 3 days a week. I already claim child benefit and am currently entitled to tax credits but as we were overpaid I am not currently receiving anything.

What am I entitled to claim in benefits now, is there still such a thing as single parent benefit? I have no hope of getting anything from my ex, i predict he has gone abroad, will I be able to get anything from the csa without him paying up to them?

How do I go about claiming these benefits if I am entitled to them? Who do I apply to?

[Deleted User]

hellies wrote: »

I have recently become a single parent of my dd (aged 2) and am 6 months pregnant. My ex oh has disappeared, leaving me with a mortgage and debts. I work full time and pay for dd to go to nursery 3 days a week. I already claim child benefit and am currently entitled to tax credits but as we were overpaid I am not currently receiving anything.

What am I entitled to claim in benefits now, is there still such a thing as single parent benefit? I have no hope of getting anything from my ex, i predict he has gone abroad, will I be able to get anything from the csa without him paying up to them?

How do I go about claiming these benefits if I am entitled to them? Who do I apply to?

I can't answer all of your questions there are some people on this board who know a little more than me but I'll tel you what I do know. My ex disappeared off to Spain, leaving me in the same situation ( with a 2 yr old and pregnant, oh how we pick em) And the csa told me unless he worked for an English company out there they wouldn't be able to get any money off him, that was 2 an half years ago, I recentally got a letter from them (CSA) saying they were
closing my case. I've had not had a penny since we split. However if you're applying for income support you don't actually get to keep anything you get from him anyway, because they take it out of your income support anyway..
Please any one feel free to correct me if I'm wrong..
I can't really help with your tax credits cos I have no experience in it, but I'm sure someone will have advice.
God luck

joeblack066

I couldn't find anything about a Lone Parent benefit, but this is a link re a parent who is abroad.......... http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/YourMoney/DG_4003043
You will be entitled to a reduction on your council tax (25%)
Check out www.entitledto.com to see if there is anything else.

skylight

Call Tax Credits right away.

Your last claim with your hubby will need to be cancelled and as that claimed included his wage which is no longer available they will reassess the claim, so you may get something else (plus some child care costs perhaps???).

If you continue working you will not be entitled to Income Support (unless you are doing a low number of hours per week). There is no such thing as single parent or lone benefit (there used to be many many years ago at £5 a week I think).

Is your employer going to cover you for maternity leave? That will also impact child tax credits.

If you decide to leave work entirely, then Income Support only covers you and child tax credit covers the extra for children. If you go on income support now (or depending on tax credit awards) you may be entitled to £500 maternity grant. But would your total income cover the mortgage?

Is your ex-OH leaving you high and dry totally? Have you cancelled all joint bank accoutns (frozen them) and had all your usual payments transfered to another bank account that you should have set up by now?? These things tend to get left behind in our thoughts when we are going through rough patches.

Pay attention to your finances first and foremost - protect what you can for your kids sake and worry about your ex-OH on a different level.

You will have serious issues with a mortgage and the fact he has disappeared. Even if only you cover the mortgage payments he is still on the mortgage and co-owns the house (if already set up this way at time of purchase) so you need to see a solicitor ASAP.

Most importantly (and personally having 4 kids, one who is 5 months old!) I know that saying put your feet up and relax is difficult anyway - but you must for your health and babys. No matter how you feel, remember that this man left you and his children in a most cowardly way and you and your family are worth much, much more.

Take Care.

hellies

Thank you all for your replies, I had a feeling that working and being a home owner would go against me! :mad: Hopefully my tax credits situation will get sorted soon, I think i'm due to start receiving payments again after xmas and i guess that'll go up when baby is born, but I will look into working tax credits too. Thank you for your time!

hellies

sorry charlotte, i posted at the same time as you! ex was out of work before his disappearance which had been declared to tax credits so I doubt im due any change there. Yes i will be getting SMP whilst on maternity leave, and hopefully be able to do some cash in hand work for my dad to keep my income up a bit. Leaing work entirely is not an option, I am a strong believer in paying my way in the world, and want to set a good example for my children (no offence meant to anyone, its just the way I am!) We do not have a joint bank account or mortgage, everything is in my name, which is good in relation to the house but bad in relation to debts! I think I have so far been very practical instead of emotional and made all the possible cutbacks to my outgoings and maximised my incomings as much as possible, i think i was just hoping someone might have a miracle answer to my problems!

duchy

What you need to aim at is working a minimum of 16 hours a week as this will entitle you to tax credits at full rate (I'm not sure you get any below that number). This can be more than one job or even self employed or working from home just so long as you work the 16. If your husband was claiming unemployment benefit that would have been off-set income so it may make a difference so definitely call tax credits urgently and find out where you stand once SMP and/or sick leave kicks in.

hellies

Obviously i will be paying tax and NI on my maternity pay- there is a BIG difference between working to earn extra cash to support my children and keep my house, and jacking in my job so that i can claim benefits for doing nothing all day and live in local authority housing paid for by people who do work! I think the latter it is a lot more immoral and more of a bad example.... when i said i like to pay my way i mean i dont want to have to give up work to claim handouts from the government because i think the system is very wrong.

[Deleted User]

hellies wrote: »

Obviously i will be paying tax and NI on my maternity pay- there is a BIG difference between working to earn extra cash to support my children and keep my house, and jacking in my job so that i can claim benefits for doing nothing all day and live in local authority housing paid for by people who do work! I think the latter it is a lot more immoral and more of a bad example.... when i said i like to pay my way i mean i dont want to have to give up work to claim handouts from the government because i think the system is very wrong.

Wow that sounds a little harsh.. if you're getting paid cash in hand then you'll not be paying tax etc on it will you?.. and bein a single parent on benefits I resent the last quote and am quite offended!!!
"and jacking in my job so that i can claim benefits for doing nothing all day and live in local authority housing paid for by people who do work! I think the latter it is a lot more immoral and more of a bad example...."
I HAD to leave my job when my ex left me high and dry and went onto benefits because I had no other choice at the time.. I'd put my mind in gear before you pass judgements on people recieving benefits, it's not always as clear cut as you think

hellies

Sallylizzie wrote: »

Wow that sounds a little harsh.. if you're getting paid cash in hand then you'll not be paying tax etc on it will you?.. and bein a single parent on benefits I resent the last quote and am quite offended!!!
"and jacking in my job so that i can claim benefits for doing nothing all day and live in local authority housing paid for by people who do work! I think the latter it is a lot more immoral and more of a bad example...."
I HAD to leave my job when my ex left me high and dry and went onto benefits because I had no other choice at the time.. I'd put my mind in gear before you pass judgements on people recieving benefits, it's not always as clear cut as you think

If you read my earlier posts thoroughly you would see that is exactly what I am complaining about- people having to leave their jobs because its the only way to get help from the government.

[Deleted User]

hellies wrote: »

If you read my earlier posts thoroughly you would see that is exactly what I am complaining about- people having to leave their jobs because its the only way to get help from the government.

Well maybe I missed the paragraph in your earlier post that said you believed it was unfair that ppl have to leave their jobs and rely on benefits.. the bit the upset me was the part about it being immoral.. maybe you didn't intend it to come across the way it did, but I still found it offensive!