Just become a lone parent help with benefits

smiler34

Hi all,
I have unfortunatley just become a lone parent,my partner and I have parted on good terms but I am confused about what I am entitled to. I have applied for income support although I am not sure I will recieve this as I havn't really worked since I left uni as I fell pregnant with my daughter just after leaving and I have been a stay at home mum ever since. My daughter is now two and I have a son who is 10 months. I know I can get tax credits and child maintenance. Only thing is I have racked up quite a lot of debt while I was with my partner which he took on to pay off so don't think he should have to give me child maintenance as well. I don't want anyone saying I am a scrounger or anything, I don't believe children should be without a mum at home with them until they go to school and will not put them into nursery. I just need some help with what I am entitled to. Any help gratefully taken.

Thanks

bobblebot

Got to jobcentre and ask to see the lone parent advisor who will run through everything with you...if you are not working you will have to apply for income support...i think 59.15 per week, you will be asked for your ex's details though as if you are on IS you have to let the CSa claim child maintenance from him...they determine rate and as you are on IS you will only get to keep £10. You can claim housing benefit if you are renting & council tax benefit. Then you will get child tax credits as lone parent and continue to recive child benefit. I claimed IS for a few month when lost job but prefer to work PT as it does make me better off...however if I worked FT I wouldn't be better off at all. I've decided though to do a science middle years PGCE in September so I can then do supply teaching PT when qualified. The teacher training learner bursaries/loans/grants etc work out very well for lone parents, I'll be on around £3500 per month!!!! for the 9 month period but it will be a hard slog with 4 teenagers and a baby in nursery...but its certainly a good incentive to get back to work!!

fizzel81

Hiya

I become a single parent last year after 6 years of being married, you need to contact the job centre, they will make an appointment and send you theforms for is, hb and ct for you to fill out and take with you (with id, bank statmements etc) you also need to inform ctc as your joint claim will need to be cancelled, also you can have your cb put on weekly payments, to me that was a god send as everything else can take a month if not longer to sort out

for cm my ex done a letter saying how much he was going to pay each month and why (same reasons debts) they were more than happy with this so it didnt got to csa etc i keep the first £10 the rest is taken off my is.

my ex gives me £200 monthly (3 kids) i get 10 a week from that
and 23 odd is (as rest is taken off) for 3 kids i get 116ish weekly in tc's and then my child benifit (i now also get dla but thats seperate etc for 2 of my boys)

you will also get healthy start vouchers, you can pick the form up at most dr's your hv will need to sgin back etc for you, you will get £6 a week or the 10 month old and £3 for your 2 year old (it will then go down to £3 when your son turns 1) this is for infant milk, cows milk fruit and veg

fineally good luck, it can seem very daunting at first