How are we ment to live on this

[Jazz]

Me and my other half are really confused and don't seam to be able to get any answers. At the moment I am entitled to £22.57 a week employment support allowance (partners wages taken out of my benefits), My other half's hours have been cut right down to 15 hours so he brings home £94 a week just under (he is looking every day for a new job), we rent which is £600 a mth and we have bills ect to pay, its not long till im due and job centre say we get max benefit to live on I explained we only just get by and our parents help with food etc. Is there any one else I can talk to and see if we can get a bit of extra help. Thank you

 

[MrsR]

I'd see the citizens advice bureau if I was you, they can really help!

My OH has just got a new job, paid monthly, and after all the bills go out we have £200 to live on! For a month! No where near covers food for the 4 of us plus 3 cats, doesn't include gas and electric or water rates either so I vaguely know where you're coming from!!!

 

[Jazz]

thank you helen123 we have no money left over a mth we are paying out more than we get, worked out we have £466.28 a mth it dosen't even pay the rent. I have been signed off sick since 12 weeks as I have spd and im on crutches, we also have a dog who needs feeding, such a worry all the time

 

[MrsR]

Yep I completely understand x the CAB really helped us out! I'd def try them x

 

[Jazz]

thank you I will go and see them

 

[songbird]

Have you tried looking at the entitled to website they can give you an indication on what benefits you can claim.
http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx
Have you looked into housing benefit to see if you can get help with your rent.

Otherwise go to cab office but you do need to make sure you are getting all the help you are entitled to

 

[Jazz]

Thank you song bird the link says im not entitled to the benefit im getting does say we are entitled to housing benefit they will pay £425 of our rent a mth which would help, so confusing

 

[songbird]

hmm interesting but i would definitely apply for housing benefit as that sounds promising

 

[leanne1b]

Yeah def apply for housing and council tax benefit hun. I'd put money on it they would pay ur rent and prob most council tax. The job centre have nothing to do with those emerita so couldn't say. Phone ur council and ask for them to send u a form. Get ur oh's contract, with hours and wages on, as if hours recently been cut 3 months worth of pay slips won't count for much. Oh and proof of ur benefit x

 

[leanne1b]

Emerita=benefits
Bloody phOne! X

 

[HeppiBean]

Apply for housing benefit... And if your partners hours are under 16 a week he can also claim something, even if it's only a little, which would help... I'd also try council tax benefit, but not sure about that one for working people... Good luck xx

 

[leanne1b]

If he earns less than 100 he should get at least some paid. I think the amount you can "live off" depends where in the country u r, and also how much ur council tax is. But my oh earns about 130 a week and we get help with both.
Yeah if he's doing less hours he could claim income support to top up.. Tho it would b a minor amount. Or more than... 20 hours?! He could get working tax credits? X

 

[Jazz]

Thank you HeppiBean and leanne1b. I have filled in paper work for housing benefit, we cant get working tax credit untill other half is 25 so few more mths or untill his hours go up. We are going to go to CAB this week and council office and go from there

 

[leanne1b]

Good luck hun. Let u know how it goes x

 

[littlemiss83]

Its totally rubbish the way its all worked out. When I was pregnant I only got basic maternity pay at £300 a month, my rent was £500 not including bills/food ect. Wasn't entitled to any benefits at all as my employment was classed as full time. Didn't get any housing benefit and had to live off my overdraft, OH was full time student. Didn't get any help til baby came.

Everyone makes out that people on benefits live a life of luxury, but the reality is alot different.

I agree with the other ladies, wait to hear back about housing benefit, and once thats sorted go to citizens advice.

 

[Jazz]

thank you littlemiss83 was so peed off earlier a 'friend' was saying how hard up they and they be better on benfits she said after all bills, rent ect paid they only had £700-£800 a mth to live on and with a 2 year old its impossible people seam to think benefits gives you loads of money its really not like that

 

[leanne1b]

Lol I agree. U would think we are living the life of luxury!! Er no. We had enough to live. And we ha saved cash Togo butlins for 4 days... Def no bloody abroad holidays! Even butlins is crippling us.
But this is only manageable because I watch are money VERY carefully. Put the months money in one account, and transfer just enough each week. Ah well!
I don't mind, I just wish ppl didn't think we had it easy x

 

[Jazz]

We are going to Devon for a week in a caravan we got a last min deal and the in laws are helping to pay most of it as its our first holiday and last one before little lady gets here, im excited but mates keeps saying well we are off to Spain for 2 weeks, wish friends could understand

 

[leanne1b]

Yup! Ie... In law rant. They moan about money.... But live in a mansion, have a penthouse abroad and own a lt of things. A lot! Take... 5/6 holidays a year?
Its like, I'm pleased for u... Really. But don't moan because u have no frigging idea what it is to have money troubles!!! X

 

[littlemiss83]

The only people that benefit from benefits lool are people who claim fraudulently, or people who have loads of kids. Sometimes when people work full time and aren't on a high wage, but having to pay full childcare (right on the line where you dont qualify for benefits) they would be better off getting full benefits rather than working, this was the case for me a few years ago, but luckily I got a job with slightly more money now it isn't as bad, plus i'm not relying on childcare as much.

Its not the benefits that should get cut or reduced, its the wages that should be higher, so that people really do benefit by getting a job.