Summer financial difficulties

jules23958

In 2011 I was diagnosed with bipolar arthritis of the spine and Crohn’s and decided to stop working as a teacher. After a year I decided to go into business as a tutor which just about gets me through the year from October-July.Unfortunately for the remainder no months I am on a very meagre income up to about £80 a week. With WTC that enables me to pay my rent for the council but nothing more. As a self employed person I can’t go on JSA; our area is Universal Credit so I can’t apply for Housing Benefit.
My health really does not allow me to work full time - my question therefore is there anything I can apply for just through the summer months that will enable us to eat? My husband doesn’t work as he has Aspergers and has standard rate pip which he uses to pay council tax.
Thanx

NeilCr

Have you actually applied for UC?. There is an element of that which covers HB.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/before-you-apply/what-universal-credit-is/

I understand it will effect your WTC but to get the extra money?

May be worth a trip to your local CAB/advice centre for a benefits check

elmer

You can also apply for Council Tax benefit from your local council

elmer

Prudent

Another possibility to consider would be to apply for an ill health pension from the teachers pension scheme. It would give you a year round income. It would mean you couldn't tutor, but you could do other jobs that are not related to teaching.

soolin

A tutor we used to know offered intensive summer courses, almost the old style 'crammer' style of tutoring during the summer. From memory it was three or 4 sessions a week usually to catch up children who had fallen behind due to illness or poor teaching, or even children moving to a more academic school where perhaps they just needed a little catch up. Is anything like that possible at all?

xylophone

Another possibility to consider would be to apply for an ill health pension from the teachers pension scheme.

I claimed early retirement from Teachers Pensions on my 55th birthday

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/71756543#Comment_71756543

The OP is already receiving a TPS pension?

Darksparkle

Surely your WTC will stop as you are out of work for more than 4 weeks?

Would you not set your rates to cover the quieter periods?

w06

that's what I always did when tutoring subjects that dried up in the summer, two lessons a week went into the summer pot.

The other thing to do is diversify your subjects, some things (university entry most notably) are very busy over the summer

bigbill

If he has PIP daily living go for carers allowance at £64 weekly?

Alice_Holt

Would you be eligible for PIP?

https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/about-inflammatory-bowel-disease/publications/claiming-personal-independence-payments-pip

https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis/financial-support-and-arthritis/personal-independence-payment-pip