SOA/ budget

Spendless

kimplus8 wrote: »

I don't know the answer to that but the lady I spoke to at the employment centre said 'well if you are well enough to be in training then you don't need the PIP'?

Please don't accept that as an answer. Find out what is correct. Give someone like these a ring.


https://helplines.org/helplines/dial-uk-dial-network-local-disability-information-and-advice/

enthusiasticsaver

That is an incredibly tight budget. I think I would be tempted to cancel the swimming lessons and let the children learn one or two at a time. If you are the only parent and have no death in service I think you should keep the life assurance. Very little else to cut.

Spendless

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

That is an incredibly tight budget. I think I would be tempted to cancel the swimming lessons and let the children learn one or two at a time. If you are the only parent and have no death in service I think you should keep the life assurance. Very little else to cut.

I think that is possibly the only way to do it with the swimming lessons. Let 1 or 2 continue them until they can swim, once they can start the next ones and so on. You decide which child/ren need to be learning first.

Uhtred_Ragnarsson

kimplus8 wrote: »

I don't know the answer to that but the lady I spoke to at the employment centre said 'well if you are well enough to be in training then you don't need the PIP'?

Kimplus8, the person who told you that is talking through their hat. PIP is payable based on the effects your health problem has on you - it has nothing to do with whether you are in training or not. Many people in employment receive PIP too.

Please get some advice on this. I would also suggest having a look at a website called benefits and work. It's excellent.

Good luck

Uhtred

ada-or-ardor

Hi Kim,

Please do check out PIP, use the link someone shared above.

Another one here suggesting surveys. I only use one site now as I work so it was tough keeping up!! Prolif1c Academ1c is the one I use and I love it, because it's actual academic research so the surveys tend to be really interesting! I make maybe £10 a month but only really manage to do one or two surveys a week: if you're at home I think you could make way more. They also pay out in cash which I love. You could also do a couple of other sites to boost gift cards ready for birthdays and whatnot.

My other thought was what is your social circle like? Do you have friends who might pay you bits and bobs in cash for little jobs, like ironing, dog walking, cat sitting/pet feeding, baby sitting, cleaning? I'm thinking jobs that you can bring the little ones to? A little bit of ironing for a few neighbours every other week at 50p per item could make a huge difference to you - I bet you have a friend who would print some flyers at work for you for free :-)

Also a previous commenter mentioned your older kids and their job potential - I think if your kids are old enough you could sit them down, explain your difficulties openly and honestly and see if they be happy to get a paper round just to take the pressure off you. They don't have enough to contribute to household bills or their keep etc, but at least it will be a little fund for them to buy clothes and treats for themselves, without eating into your budget.

Also, I do not know the rules around food banks (if there are any!) But please do not be too proud to use them if you need to.

Good luck, you are doing a stellar job under such tight circumstances.

Ada

Spendless

I think from when kim was on here before that her eldest is only just in her first year at Secondary school so age 11/12, so none of them are old enough for jobs yet.

Silver_Queen

Spendless wrote: »

I think from when kim was on here before that her eldest is only just in her first year at Secondary school so age 11/12, so none of them are old enough for jobs yet.

I started my first paper round when I was 12, but of course it's all down to your personal judgement of how safe the area is, whether you want your child to do that etc.

Spendless

Silver_Queen wrote: »

I started my first paper round when I was 12, but of course it's all down to your personal judgement of how safe the area is, whether you want your child to do that etc.

Was this some time ago? The age limit is now 13.

https://www.gov.uk/child-employment/minimum-ages-children-can-work

On_a_Shoestring

oops, ignore

Chandelier.

People's circumstances change. I'm sure Kim never intended for her lifestyle to be this way.

At least the OP is proactive enough to do something about it and try to manage unlike many others.

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