Some Help Please!

Danni-R

This is on behalf of my friend. She is 24 and has 2 kids (4&2) with the same father. She has never said that he cant see them or spend time with them and as it stands he sees them at the weekends. As he doesn't live there any more she gets her rent paid for her, its a housing association house anyway. She applied for a crisis lone as she doesn't work at £150, they came back and offered her £40 and already started to take the repayments out of the benefits she does get. IS there any other beinifts apart from the childrens that she can get? I dont think the dad pays for anything for the kids as he has them at the weekends? Where would she stand if she got a job? Is child care free as he is young? As you can see, this isnt my area of knowledge so I thought I'd ask you lot! sorry for the confusing nature!
Danni

Kimitatsu

Dad should pay for the children if he only has them at the weekend - has she applied through the CSA yet?

If she does not work and is getting HB she should also be getting Child tax credits and healthy start vouchers in addition to Income Support. She should also be in receipt of child benefit.

If she starts work she will be entitled to claim up to 80% of her child care costs back provided it is through an approved child care provider. These are usually registered nurseris, after school clubs or child minders.

If she finds a job before she accepts it she can talk to her local CAB or job centre and ask for a "better off calculation" who will let her know the cost implications of taking paid work, for most they are better off but for some they are best to wait until the children start school.

HTH

Danni-R

Thanks so much for your help. I went to see her last night and she was in tears. He says he wont pay anything for them, including anything towards the massive electric bill that she has from when he was living there. Someone told her that to claim anything from the csa you have to stop your income support? Shes coming in today to use entitledto web site. I'll pass on your info, thanks very much,
Danni

enemes

I am just wondering why she went for the crisis loan, when she could have applied for the Community Care Grant, which is not repayable, nor tested against any other benefits. Go for it the next time ...

daisy_doughnut_2

if she makes a claim to the csa they wont stop her income support what they will do is allow her to keep 10 pounds of what the father is made to pay
she can still apply for a comunity care grant and a budgeting loan even tho she has had a crisis loan the loan normally takes less time than the grant they can go on for weeks untill they make a descision the forms can now be picked up from the job center