benefit entitlements

[tamirra]

Hi, my daughter is 20 and she has a 5.5 month old daughter, presently living at home but would love to rent a private property, can anyone please inform us to which benefits she would be entitled too, she dosnt work at the moment but hopefuly returning in the next few months to work 16 hrs a week. Thank you

[bednobs]

hi, it might be better if she planned to work more hours than 16 its pretty hard to rent a place, pay bills, nursery/childminding fees and survive on the wages of 16 hours a week- is there a reason it's limited to 16 hours?

No one on here can tell her what she would be entilted to as we dont have enough info - ie does the father work? Is there a disabilty reason she cant work full time?

[tamirra]

There is no father on the scene, and she can only work 16 or less hrs or she loses benefits

[diamonds78]

Im in a similar situation myself. She will be entitled to child tax credits and working tax credits for working 16 hrs a week as a lone parent, the working tax credits take into account any childminding costs and if they are a registed childminder or nursery they usually cover around 70% of the cost.

She will be entitled to some help with her rent although it will be minimal like mine, they will calculate it on individual circumstances, I only get �8 a week, its not much but every little helps.

[tamirra]

her rent is �600 pcm they are paying �475.00 of that, so shes ok there its the benefits other than that we were not sure of as they dont seem to tell you what you are entitled unless you know and ask, which is so wrong.

[Jillius]

Blimey ! How come the council hasn't put her in a small flat ? No wonder we hard working lot have to pay so much tax if we are having to pay for that !

[bednobs]

wouldn;t it be better for her to work full time, rather than rely on benefits?
Benefits suck and she would surely enjoy a better standard of living if she worked for money rather than say "ill lose benefits if i work hard"

[tamirra]

umm im sorry but this is my daughter we are talking about, so i dont want any accusations that she sponging of the state, shes working 16 hrs while i look after her baby, shes not sitting at home taking all she can get while you pay for her, at least shes got off her backside and done something about it, you go and take it out on the people that do sponge and sit watching tv drinking beer and smoking fags, while YOU pay for that!

[bednobs]

I Wasnt implying that she was sponging, only that benefits do not make you rich, and that it is better to work hard for money because a) it makes you appreciate more b) its good for your mental health and c) you can have a better standard of living. Surely any right minded person would prefer to work for a living rather than live off stingy benefits? To be able to afford more for their child, and a better future for them?
I was saying that if she starts off with the attitude "i'll be better off on benefits" then there is no way out of that cycle, and will always have a crappier standard of living than she deserves. If she is finding out about what benefits she's entitled to then she could just as easily research how much she would get working full time and what sh ould afford then. If she goes onto benefits the CSA or whatever govt dept takes over will chase the father (if he is alive) If she dosent know who the father is or refuses to tell them she will get less anyway

[themas]

What bednobs is forgetting is that looking after a child is also work - and very hard work at times. And a lot of people think that parents - especially mothers - should be spending as much time as they can doing that rather than leaving their children in a nursery.

To answer the question:

1. She is already getting Housing Benefit & - I assume -Council Tax Benefit. The amount of these will vary depending on her earnings and on the amount of Tax Credit she gets, and the amount she spends on registered or approved childcare.

2. She no doubt gets Child Benefit - not means tested.

3. She can - as already said - get Child Tax Credit (whether she works or not) and (if she works 16 hours a week or more) Working Tax Credit with an allowance for registered or approved childcare costs.. The amount of the WTC depends on her earnings. She must notify the Council Housing Benefit people as soon as she gets any Tax Credit so they can adjust her Housing Benefit etc.

4. I assume she is the only adult in the property. If so, she is entitled to a 25% discount on the full Council Tax rate. This is not a benefit as such, & is not means tested.

[tamirra]

Thank you themas yes it is hard work for young mothers who are alone, i think by your answer she is getting what shes entitled too, but you say 25% discount on council tax, she has been told they pay the whole amount, has she been told wrong by the agent do you think?

[Myriad2112]

Anytjing else she needs - a new car perhaps or a holiday?
Just bung it on our tax bill.

[tamirra]

Well actually a new car would be nice, a 7 seater possibly as shes having 6 more kids for you to pay for! We also pay our taxes too.

[Myriad2112]

Are they all different colours?

[tamirra]

Your getting on my nerves now, if you dont have any sensible replies dont bother, im just greatful that my daughter is here to be able to have children and she was close to death 2 years ago. OK!

[Myriad2112]

... and that makes her more entitled to benifits?

[tamirra]

Learn to spell you idiot

[Myriad2112]

I must be an idiot, after all I managed to bring up a child without having to scrounge off the state for handouts.

[tigersam258]

it seems that the father not on the scene has been overlooked. Why is he not contributing to the welfare of his child. should the CSA (or whatever it is called now) not be chasing him to help out?

[tamirra]

No he isnt on the scene he died when my daughter was 3 months pregnant.

[Kinetic]

Let me get something straight. My girlfriend works 40 hours a week as a surgical nurse for the NHS in Singleton Hospital, Swansea. She has the lives of people in her hands every day. Children die right in front of her regularly. This is not a job she can just get home and forget about. But what she does go home to is her 3 year old daughter whos father takes care of her for 2 nights a week.

Do not tell me your daughter cannot work more that 16 hours with the 'stress' of motherhood.