Income Support question

cookie08

Hya

I just wondered if anyone could help me.

1) My first baby is due in 11 weeks and ive just applied for my maternity grant, im already on income support and get this every 2 weeks, my cousin has told me that because i have 11 weeks left my income support will go to weekly and i just wondered if this was true and if it happened automatically or would i have to contact income support and ask for weekly money. I will be a single parent.

2) Also how will my benefit be affected when the baby is born/what will i be entitled to as i currently recieve £132.85 per week income support (breaks down to per week i recieve £46.85 for myself, £25.25 as i am disabled/sick, £48.45 as i am severely disabled, £12.30 disibility income guarantee), i recieve this fortnightly.

I recieve DLA monthly which is £326.40 (£17.10 per week low mobility and £64.50 per week high care componement).

3) I do have a carer however when she enquired on if she could get carers allowance (she cares for me over 35 hours per week but does not live with me) she was told i would lose my £48.45 severe disibility premium and her jsa would also be deducted of £48.45 (she had no other choice but to claim jsa as i require full time care) which she would get back every week as carers allowance. Is this right will they deduct both of our money or just one?

Ive looked on entitledto but it was to confusing.

Thanks in advance, any help would be great.

Cookie x

Smickan

I'm sorry I'm not much help but to the best of my knowledge number 3 is correct. My grandad got something he was claiming taken off him when my mother became his carer.

cookie08

Hya

Thanks for your reply, i could understand my money being affected but it seems unfair that my carer would be losing money aswell as they cant expect her to live on £48.65 a week and that is all especially when there is no other way she can earn anymore.

If you dont mind me asking could your mum get extra financial help?

Many Thanks for your reply

Batty_3

I might be wrong here but as JSA stands for JOB SEEKERS ALOWANCE and if your carer is looking after you for 35 hours/week shes not 'job-seeking' so they will deduct you both money as she's technicaly 'working' for you.

Sounds harsh, but if she claims a carer allowance, you will lose that amount to 'pay' her.

(It's a bit like like Mums on IS dont get all the Maintenence from absent fathers, the money handed over, goes to the Treasury to 'pay' the IS and I think 'mum' only ends up with £10 of it)

You don't say about the father? If your on IS you'll have to make a claim through the CSA for maintenence. (I don't know if it still happens, but at one time if you refused to name the father to the CSA they stopped your IS) If the baby's father makes a voluntary contribution, you have to declare it, or again they reduce you benefit......

To summarise, she can't get JSA and Carer's Allowance, you'll have to decide between you which way you want to claim. However if she's offered a job and turns it down because of caring for you, questions might be asked.

Can you get to a CAB?

cookie08

Batty wrote: »

I might be wrong here but as JSA stands for JOB SEEKERS ALOWANCE and if your carer is looking after you for 35 hours/week shes not 'job-seeking' so they will deduct you both money as she's technicaly 'working' for you.

the jobcentre is aware that she is my carer, it was them who advised her to apply for carers allowance, they are also helping her to look into what money she will get/lose.

Sounds harsh, but if she claims a carer allowance, you will lose that amount to 'pay' her.

You dont sound harsh at all, i dont mind losing the amount to 'pay' her as you put it, i just think its very unfair that she will also get the £48.65 deducted from her money aswell as it being deducted from mine if you get what i mean.

(It's a bit like like Mums on IS dont get all the Maintenence from absent fathers, the money handed over, goes to the Treasury to 'pay' the IS and I think 'mum' only ends up with £10 of it)

You don't say about the father? If your on IS you'll have to make a claim through the CSA for maintenence. (I don't know if it still happens, but at one time if you refused to name the father to the CSA they stopped your IS) If the baby's father makes a voluntary contribution, you have to declare it, or again they reduce you benefit......Ive already been intouch with CSA regarding where i stand on the claim for maintenance as my soon to be ex husband is a very violent man and they have told me there are special circumstances where you can ask in writing for IS/CSA not to contact the father which i am planning to do then they will let me know there decision (obviously cant do this till baby is born). I have an injuction against my soon to be ex husband and also the police helped me to move where i am now and they have also advised me not to let my ex know where im living (which i have no intention of doing). My husband beat me up quite badly when i was 5 weeks pregnant (neither of us knew i was pg at the time), he is unaware that i am pregnant and i wish to keep it that way (he has a daughter who is 5 who he sees every weekend despite the all the violence on his record, he gained access via the courts, his ex never called the police but i did and the courts are aware of this, but i know him he will still try and fight me in the courts for access). Im not sure if this is TMI but it i hope it makes my position alot more clearer.

Many Thanks for your post

The jobcentre told her once she started claiming carers allowance she would be entiltled to £20 pound something income support, aswell as questions being asked i know she will also be sanctioned and i really dont want that to happen to her as shes been a great help and support to me.

mum2one

You can ask for your IS to be paid weekly, when the baby is born, you need to apply seperately for child tax credit, and also child benefit, I know for CB its paid from the monday after the child is born, so say you had the baby on a Tuesday, then the CB would start on the following Monday, - you have to send off the birth certificate.

The CTC is apr £43 per wee
CB £17.50 a week

These are paid direct into your bank account, both figures go up in April.

Re the severe element, if your cousin became your carer officially that money would be taken off you and paid to your carer, - if there on JSA or IS, then there JSA is reduced but made back up by the carers premium.

I did notice no father was mentioned, your be asked by the IS for his name as they will want to make a claim for child support, say for example he has o pay £50.00 per week, you will only be given £10.00 per week, as the remainder goes back to the treasury.

Im not being funny, but you say you need 24 hour care, how are you going to manage a baby, its a damm hard job. I know from experience that I was lucky I had family support, as Im on crutches due to 2 car accidents and having my daughter, and found a lot of things difficult.

mum2one

cookie08 wrote: »

Ive already been intouch with CSA regarding where i stand on the claim for maintenance as my soon to be ex husband is a very violent man and they have told me there are special circumstances where you can ask in writing for IS/CSA not to contact the father which i am planning to do then they will let me know there decision (obviously cant do this till baby is born). I have an injuction against my soon to be ex husband and also the police helped me to move where i am now and they have also advised me not to let my ex know where im living (which i have no intention of doing). My husband beat me up quite badly when i was 5 weeks pregnant (neither of us knew i was pg at the time), he is unaware that i am pregnant and i wish to keep it that way (he has a daughter who is 5 who he sees every weekend despite the all the violence on his record, he gained access via the courts, his ex never called the police but i did and the courts are aware of this, but i know him he will still try and fight me in the courts for access). Im not sure if this is TMI but it i hope it makes my position alot more clearer.

Many Thanks for your post

The IS will take note of the special circumstances, I had to follow that route with my ex partner, ours never went to court, but was dealt with by solicitors.

I know you said that he doesnt know that your pregnant, but you need to take all precautions necessary.

because of what happened with my partner, I was due to be booked in a week early for the process where they induce you, but I was lucky with a bit of assistance from one of the consultants popping the membrane my dd came the day b4 I was due to go in.

As the hospial was well aware of what my ex was like, I was booked in under a false name, and I had to give a list of all my visitors that were liable to come, and when anyone came they had to come and double check that it was ok for them to come in. We left it a week b4 the birth announcement.

I presume youve got good legal representation, but again Im not prying, but re nameing father on birth certificate - think it gives them automatic parental responsibility, the other thing i was advised to do was make a will, naming all legal guardians for dd incase anything happened to me, and that way the will had sme legal standing.

cookie08

mum2one wrote: »

You can ask for your IS to be paid weekly, when the baby is born, you need to apply seperately for child tax credit, and also child benefit, I know for CB its paid from the monday after the child is born, so say you had the baby on a Tuesday, then the CB would start on the following Monday, - you have to send off the birth certificate.

The CTC is apr £43 per wee
CB £17.50 a week

These are paid direct into your bank account, both figures go up in April.

Thanks for the info above.

Re the severe element, if your cousin became your carer officially that money would be taken off you and paid to your carer, - if there on JSA or IS, then there JSA is reduced but made back up by the carers premium.

Again thanks for the info, however just to add my cousin is not my carer.

I did notice no father was mentioned, your be asked by the IS for his name as they will want to make a claim for child support, say for example he has o pay £50.00 per week, you will only be given £10.00 per week, as the remainder goes back to the treasury.

Please see response i sent back to batty.

Im not being funny, but you say you need 24 hour care, how are you going to manage a baby, its a damm hard job. I know from experience that I was lucky I had family support, as Im on crutches due to 2 car accidents and having my daughter, and found a lot of things difficult.

I also have great family support, however i know it is going to be incredible hard raising a baby, im not sure how i will manage yet however im determined to be the best mum i can be with the help and support of my family.

Thanks for your reply.

mum2one

You sound like your going to be the best mum in the world, your determination and what you have been through, you deserve a medal.

In a way children adjust to the situation, my daughter she calls my crutches, charlie 1 and charlie 2, btu my mums walking stick she calls is wondering willie.

My daughter knows that i cant get on the floor to play Twister, or if I do end up on the floor, try to get down and play puzzles etc, that we have to stay down for a while, or that I have to sit in the chair and not on the settee as I cant get up, to her its no different, just normal. x

cookie08

mum2one wrote: »

The IS will take note of the special circumstances, I had to follow that route with my ex partner, ours never went to court, but was dealt with by solicitors.

I know you said that he doesnt know that your pregnant, but you need to take all precautions necessary.

because of what happened with my partner, I was due to be booked in a week early for the process where they induce you, but I was lucky with a bit of assistance from one of the consultants popping the membrane my dd came the day b4 I was due to go in.

As the hospial was well aware of what my ex was like, I was booked in under a false name, and I had to give a list of all my visitors that were liable to come, and when anyone came they had to come and double check that it was ok for them to come in. We left it a week b4 the birth announcement.

I presume youve got good legal representation, but again Im not prying, but re nameing father on birth certificate - think it gives them automatic parental responsibility, the other thing i was advised to do was make a will, naming all legal guardians for dd incase anything happened to me, and that way the will had sme legal standing.

Wow mum2one youve given me some serious thinkin to do, how do you bring up about your ex to the hospital did you tell them directly or tell your midwife? I know i have nothing to be ashamed of with regards to the situation with my ex however i still am very ashamed that i became his punchbag so i have never broached the subject with my midwife.

Yes thank god i have good representation, the only downside is hes got the number 1 family law solicitor in his area on his side, which i guess he needed with his history. However fingers crossed he still doesnt no and none of it has been mentioned during the letters coming and going through the solicitors for the divorce. Both solicitors do divorces and family law so atleast my solicitor will have all the paperwork/information.

Do i have to put him on Birth certificate?

Thanks for your reply

By the way what does parental responsibility mean? My ex has got it with his daughter but ive never fully understood it

cookie08

Thanks im hoping i will be, i think what ive been through has made me even more determined to be the best mum i can be,

thanks for not pre judging me i know there are a few people on here on other threads that i have read who would of made some snide remarks about contraception etc etc especially in a violent relationship, however i became so naive and depentdent on my ex even tho i was terrified of him if that makes sense.

I like the name your daughter has given ur mums walking stick that made me laugh when i read it lol. And its nice to read that your daughter is so well adjusted to your disibilities. Im having a boy so i hope he doesnt feel resentful of the things i cant do with him when hes older however i know my family will help in anything i cant do so hopefully he shouldnt miss out on anything.

Thanks again for you kind words x