Am I missing something that I could claim?

AngelPie78

Hi everyone,

I've been advised to post in here to see if there's something I'm missing in terms of benefits.

The background to my situation is here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/72994209#Comment_72994209

but to summarise:

- I'm a single mum with two kids (12 and 8) in social housing. I have my kids half the time and my ex has them half the time. He doesn't give me any maintenance as a result. I'm restricted on where I can live because of this and also childcare/transport for school is difficult.
- I have mental health issues - diagnosed with depression, anxiety and stress in 2012 (been refused PIP and ESA)
- I graduated last year with a degree and have struggled to find a job so I started my own business and classed as self-employed.
- my daughter is 19 and moved out a year ago (she lives three hours away with her boyf and his family)
- I get TC and WTC for the two boys at £188 per week and CB for one of the boys at £80 every four weeks. Ex gets the CB for the other son which I've appealed and been refused many times.
- I get council tax benefit of £2 per week (!!) and they STILL haven't sorted out removing my daughter from my account OR last year when I was a student until June so am paying the full £1550 for the year atm.
- I get HB but the amount changes weekly. Had an email from my Housing Association yesterday saying that HB had changed and I was now being asked to pay £70 of my £140 a week rent.

Is there something else I can do to get some help? I can't cover my essentials and my mum is giving my £50-£100 a week to pay for food and petrol. I'm often only eating twice a day so that the kids have food. Mum wants to work less but she can't cos I'm living off of her.

I dunno what to do

Icequeen99

How much do you earn from your self-employment?

IQ

AngelPie78

Icequeen99 wrote: »

How much do you earn from your self-employment?

IQ

Profit is zero at the moment. I only started the business in January and it's not broken even as yet. Can't see it making any profit until at least next year - but who knows!

Darksparkle

How many hours have you told tax credits you are working?

What was your income for tax year 2016/17 and what have you estimated for 2017/18?

Darksparkle

Also have you been looking for any employment or just in your field?

Icequeen99

AngelPie78 wrote: »

Profit is zero at the moment. I only started the business in January and it's not broken even as yet. Can't see it making any profit until at least next year - but who knows!

In that case, you're getting all you can. You either need to give up the self-employment if it isn't profitable or look for additional part time work. If you can't manage that then giving up your work and claiming out of work benefits is the only alternative.

IQ

heartbreak_star

Check the OP's other thread - there's loads more detail in there (link in first post )

HBS x

AngelPie78

Darksparkle wrote: »

Also have you been looking for any employment or just in your field?

80% in my field, but considering other options too. Tax Credits have been told I'm working full time and my income for 16-17 is a mess as I was a student, then part time employed, then a career, then on ESA and then self-employed. Tax credits did a massive new calculation in February and decided I'd been overpaid so stopped all my money for two months. That was a fun time lol.

Income for 17-18 is zero but I'll do my taxes and we might be pleasantly surprised in April!

AngelPie78

Icequeen99 wrote: »

In that case, you're getting all you can. You either need to give up the self-employment if it isn't profitable or look for additional part time work. If you can't manage that then giving up your work and claiming out of work benefits is the only alternative.

IQ

Thanks - that's what I thought but was advised to check on here

Darksparkle

I haven't read all that thread because it's quite long but in case you aren't aware, you can get tax credit help with childcare to enable you to work full time if you could even find a NMW job.

If say you work 40hrs per week on NMW that's £15,600 per annum, £300 per week gross. £267 net.

Before/after school care for 3 days in my area would be around £114 per week (39 weeks) and for holidays £246 per week (13 weeks) so an average of £147 per week.

I'm using those figures for tax credits which would be approx £312 per week. Plus child benefit of £20.70 per week.

So you'd have:
Wage £267 per week
Tax Credits & Child Benefit £332
Less childcare £147

Income for remainder of bills £452 per week.

I'm unsure what help with rent/council tax you'd get as that's up to your own council rates.

Darksparkle

Your current tax credits should be approx £210 per week unless you are repaying an overpayment currently.