Single parents?

[hannahemilie]

Hi, just had my pre reg inspection and it went really well! am so pleased!

Anyway, are there any other single mums out there who CM? i really need a buddy to quiz about benefits/tax credits etc. I talked to my lone parent advisor at the job centre, and she literally told me she cant help me and there is no one for me to talk to about it :mad:

Thanks :)

[angeldelight]

Glad your pre-reg inspection went ok :clapping:

Just ask the question here I am sure someone will be able to point you in the right direction

Angel xx

[singlewiththree]

I'm a single parent and claim tax credits, if you have anything to as you can PM me if you prefer

[hannahemilie]

Thank you Angel. Have sent you a pm Paula :)

[angeldelight]

Thank you Angel. Have sent you a pm Paula :)

Hope you get it sorted I am sure Paula will help you

Angel xx

[clio0602]

Hiya I'm a single and get tax credits house ben etc. Sure singlewiththree can help but anything else feel free to ask me x

[Louise B]

Hi, I'm not technically single, but my partner doesn't live with me. So working and doing tax credits as single, and have done for 9 and a half years, so if you want a chat, pm me. I've only been registered since July though, and minding since September, so the whole self-employed thing is new to me too. And very scary on your own :eek:

xxx

[hannahemilie]

Thanks guys will pm you all! nice to meet other single mums doing this xx

[Goatgirl]

Hi :),
I'm working as a single parent too and went from income support to job seekers to tax credits and self employment. Even working the basic 16 hours a week I was better off straight away; Its a great way to earn as a single parent IMO.

Good luck with it all. I'm happy to help if you need any extra advice :D

bws,
Wendy

[hannahemilie]

Thanks Wendy, everyone is so nice :o

Did you get the £40 a week for a year thing when coming off income support? My job centre wasnt sure if id get that (theyre ever so helpful), but they def said I wouldnt get the £250 bonus as Im becoming a childminder, they didnt know why xx

[Goatgirl]

Thanks Wendy, everyone is so nice :o

Did you get the £40 a week for a year thing when coming off income support? My job centre wasnt sure if id get that (theyre ever so helpful), but they def said I wouldnt get the £250 bonus as Im becoming a childminder, they didnt know why xx

No problem: I had a very unhelpful jobcentre too :(.
I found out what I was entitled to from an independent charity who give advice about benefits etc. That's how I found out I was supposed to get a 'back to work grant' and a 4 week run on of full housing benefit. The actual HB department told me I wasn't entitled, as did the jobcentre about the grant: I was armed with the knowlegde so I could argue and they did eventually sort it out. There were all the usual delays in actually getting the money, but I get a bit pedantic about it, so made sure I caused them as much hassle as they caused me by calling to explain I couldn't feed my child ( only half a loaf and a single tin of beans in the cupboard with no money coming in! :thumbsup: ) and them having to arrange numerous crisis loans...
Anyway, I'm wittering on now...
If you can't get info from the jobcentre, there should at least be a citizens advice or other charity who can help :). I found the 'problem' with payments was to do with swapping from income support to jobseekers allowance - they had the change over recorded as a break in benefits, even though it wasn't. You need to have been in receipt of benefits continuously for a certain amount of time before you qualify for the 'run on' stuff.
I didn't get the £40 a week thing. Don't know if that's new....? But in any case, I did get tax credits, which were sorted much more quickly.

Hope I haven't confused you: and good luck. Hopefully your change over will go smoothly: it does for lots of people :D

take care,
Wendy

[the happy house]

I'm a single-parent too. I found childminding was fab for me, hence the reason for re-registering. Giving up was a bad decision. Financially it works out well and I get to spend time with my son.
Tax credits always worked out ok.

Best of luck... I'm sure you'll find you'll be better off!

[hannahemilie]

No problem: I had a very unhelpful jobcentre too :(.
I found out what I was entitled to from an independent charity who give advice about benefits etc. That's how I found out I was supposed to get a 'back to work grant' and a 4 week run on of full housing benefit. The actual HB department told me I wasn't entitled, as did the jobcentre about the grant: I was armed with the knowlegde so I could argue and they did eventually sort it out. There were all the usual delays in actually getting the money, but I get a bit pedantic about it, so made sure I caused them as much hassle as they caused me by calling to explain I couldn't feed my child ( only half a loaf and a single tin of beans in the cupboard with no money coming in! :thumbsup: ) and them having to arrange numerous crisis loans...
Anyway, I'm wittering on now...
If you can't get info from the jobcentre, there should at least be a citizens advice or other charity who can help :). I found the 'problem' with payments was to do with swapping from income support to jobseekers allowance - they had the change over recorded as a break in benefits, even though it wasn't. You need to have been in receipt of benefits continuously for a certain amount of time before you qualify for the 'run on' stuff.
I didn't get the £40 a week thing. Don't know if that's new....? But in any case, I did get tax credits, which were sorted much more quickly.

Hope I haven't confused you: and good luck. Hopefully your change over will go smoothly: it does for lots of people :D

take care,
Wendy

Thanks Wendy, I see what you mean! I am due to transfer to jobseekers in Jan so want to get sorted asap really. Will try citizens advice, thanks. Maybe the £40 a week is new then x

[hannahemilie]

I'm a single-parent too. I found childminding was fab for me, hence the reason for re-registering. Giving up was a bad decision. Financially it works out well and I get to spend time with my son.
Tax credits always worked out ok.

Best of luck... I'm sure you'll find you'll be better off!

Thanks Tracey! Its nice to hear positive stories! when I went on my pre reg course the lady running it said it was a bad idea for a single mum to do it and you need another income, i.e a husband!! so that was disheartening. x