Single mum and twins gpoing to uni

jme_vegas

Hi, I need help. I am a single mum that works full time and rents privately (not entitled to a council property). I have 18 year old twins that are both moving out to uni next year. They will obviously be back when their course has finished and when it is half term etc. I earn £1655 a month and my rent is £1150. I also have my normal bills. Am I able to claim anything while they are away, because I don't think I will be able to afford to keep the house on by myself. Any advice will be greatly received, thank you. PS I am not a scrounger. and would love a job that pays me enough to be able to pay bills and rent and still be able to eat lol....

pmlindyloo

I am not sure that a benefits calculator will help in these circumstances.

As I am sure you are aware any child benefit or tax credits will end when your twins go to university.

However, in your assessment for housing benefit you should still be eligible for the three bedroom rate as your twins will still be counted as resident at your address if they are living in halls of residence at university.

Your rent seems high but this may be due to where you live.

So, you will need to report the change of circumstances to tax credits and also to the council re: housing benefit.

Of course if you are living in accommodation which is expensive for your area you may not be eligible for housing benefit. You can check the local housing allowance for your area (the 3 bed rate on your council website)

Do you receive housing benefit at the moment?

jme_vegas

I have looked in to down sizing, as I am in a 3 bed but in my area a 2 bedroom flat is coming up as £1300/400 a month so it seems silly to leave this one.
I did receive housing benefit but one twin went to uni in Sept (but still lives at home for now) and the other twin said no mum i'm going to work so I can help with the bills ( bless him) but I knew he really wanted to go to uni to study to be a sports teacher so told him to start looking and applying now and go next year!! I am the mum and should be able to look after them not the other way round, and I refuse to ruin their life because I am finding it hard to pay for things...

I will look into the calculator thing but if it says no I honestly don't know what I am going to do...

TELLIT01

Sorry I can't help with the problems but I admire the attitudes shown by both you and the kids.

Alice_Holt

Just to back up pmlindyloo's point on Housing Benefit and the bedroom tax:

"Students
If you have a child who is studying away from home, you will not have a deduction made for their bedroom, as long as they are coming back, and it is still their usual home."
https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/information/housing/bedroom-tax/

Gingerbread also have a helpline:
https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/what-we-do/contact-us/helpline/

jme_vegas

Oh thank you Alice, I didn't know this, I was starting to panic, and a few people have told me that I would have to pay the bedroom tax because they are not here. I will have look on your links.
Thank you so much

midnight_express

Bedroom tax only applies to social housing.

jme_vegas

One twin is full time at uni so can't work, the other works 12 hours a day and pays rent for him and half for his brother and also gives his brother money each month... He's so good.. And i'm glad they are like that and not spoilt kids that think the world owes them a living.

Their dad has never paid a penny towards them (I've never wanted it), So them seeing me struggle has made them abit wiser (I hope)

Comms69

jme_vegas wrote: »

One twin is full time at uni so can't work, the other works 12 hours a day and pays rent for him and half for his brother and also gives his brother money each month... He's so good.. And i'm glad they are like that and not spoilt kids that think the world owes them a living.

Their dad has never paid a penny towards them (I've never wanted it), So them seeing me struggle has made them abit wiser (I hope)

I'm probably going to come across abit harsh here - so I apologise, but:


1: even a full time student (even if that means 40 hours of studying a week, and that isnt' my experience of uni to be honest) still leaves plenty of time for an evening / weekend job.
2: Claiming child maintenance isn't for yourself (and granted it's too late now) but it's for the children.


That said I do think you should be very proud of your kids, and very proud you've managed so well on your own.

Caz3121

jme_vegas wrote: »

One twin is full time at uni so can't work

Depending on the course it should be possible to work even just weekends. (I worked full time shift work whilst studying full time - was mature student so had mortgage etc to pay)

jme_vegas

He was working at Tesco and was willing to stay but they said he had to do an evening in the week. But he leaves at 5.30am to travel to uni (which takes 1 hour and 20 mins) Then he gets home at 8pm, and does this 5 days a week, he has looked for work else where but they all want a week day to be worked. They certainly aren't work shy... He has just got his job back at Tesco for the festive period and will work as much as he can. I suppose if he didn't have to travel so far to Uni he would be able to work week days, so he can do that next year.