Stupid income support!

[AugustMum]

This is mainly a rant.

I applied for income support on 21st May and recieved a letter today saying that Im entitled to it, but theyre not going to be paying me until June 29th!!!

Apparently I have 'more money than the law says I need to live on'. Which is utter bull. My last pay check was in April which was £120 and and my last installment of student loan was also the middle of April and it was £350. Since then Ive had NOTHING coming in and have completly maxed out my over draft! How is that enough money to live off?!

I wanted to send off my forms for my surestart grant but now im wondering if im going to have to wait until the end of june or july before I can. So i have £3. Thats it. And apparently thats enough to live on...if not too much. Ive already borrowed £120 off my parents! Ive got insurance and tax to pay and Ive still got things to buy for the baby.

I just cant understand how they think I have too much money! Now im just staring at the letter confused and upset, cause theyres nothing i can do, if i appeal itll take me until the end of june to get it seen anyway! Grrr

 

[megsmeadow]

You wonder where the logic is in it all eh!! Hope you get something sorted!! Can you use the letter as proof that you will receive income support in order to apply for the surestart or do you actually have to be receiving it right now?
Finances baffle me sometimes!

 

[AugustMum]

I have no idea. Im just going to have to send it off and hope I can get it. Im pretty sure if they actually asked me for a bank statement they'd see that I truly dont have money. I just dont understand how people can scam the benifits and have money ect off it. Everyone on here seems to be pulling their teeth out with stress from it and surely we're the people that should be the least stressed.

 

[megsmeadow]

So true, no idea how all those folk scam the system! And there's so many people who don't even claim what they are entitled to, probably because it's so difficult to negotiate the rediculous system!

 

[NicciLove]

If your really stuck for cash, maybe you should try for a crisis loan - i'm not too sure of how it works as i've never got one myself but i had a friend who needed money and it really helped her out!

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/moneyta...tsandothersupport/on_a_low_income/dg_10018856

 

[lanny]

have you tired ringing the my o/h was on JSA for a few months when he lost his job last year and he got different letters all the time some said one thing some said another none made any sence but if you talk to them you could atlest ask why?

 

[AugustMum]

Im going to give them a ring later (hormones would just make the phone call a mission at the moment lol) and explain that even though Im living with my parents now, and have been since making the claim, I made me last instalment of rent in the middle of May. This was £300. See if that makes a difference.

Im worried I wont get the grant as well so when I ring Im going to ask when I can apply for it. By the time I actually get anything off them I might be ringing them up again saying my circumstances have changed. Its rediculous! (Ive noticed the finance section is a bit busy today, silly money)

 

[Simoneh00]

I would appeal and send them copies of your empty bank statements.
I'm not happy at all with them atm either. They've decided to change me onto fortnightly money and pay me on a different day the weeks my boy's due. Which means I wont get ANY income support that weeks at all!

 

[AugustMum]

Im going to appeal and say ive had to pay rent over the 2 months before the claim was made, hence making the claim and needing the money. I think because Ive made the claim saying I live with parents they havn't realised Ive payed rent for the previous months. I dont think the appeal would mean I get money quicker though, jsut means they might back date it, which is rubbish.

My sisters husband had to wait 3 months for his income support to come through, I dont know what their problem is with income support. They just seem to muck it up! Why have they changed the day you get it?! that makes no sense!

 

[vixforever]

If your really stuck for cash, maybe you should try for a crisis loan - i'm not too sure of how it works as i've never got one myself but i had a friend who needed money and it really helped her out!

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/moneyta...tsandothersupport/on_a_low_income/dg_10018856

Unfortunatly to claim a crisis loan you have to be signed on for at least 26 weeks x

 

[becks20]

They ask you on your claim form how much moneys in your bank and they can check how much is in your bank anyway. i dont know why they are saying uv got enuff to live on unless youve tld them about any savings or any money you may get? x

 

[AugustMum]

Yeah they asked how much was in my account, and I laughed and told him. I havnt got any money coming in or savings. I think what theyve done, is added together my last loan installment and last pay check and split it into £50 a week (as thats what they believe is a fair amount to live off) and said 'well that can last you 9 weeks', which takes me up to the 29th june.

This is all makes sense. But they don't take into consideration that before I made the claim I was paying £300 a month rent and Ive had to buy things for the baby. Just seems a bit silly. Im doing a carboot tomorrow to try get a bit of extra cash in, and decided to just do jobs around the house and go for walks. Keep myself amused without paying for anything lol. Im going to speak to them tuesday but Im trying not to let it get to me. Theres only so much I can do so Im trying to stay positive

 

[becks20]

Well at least you know your entitled to it. I dont see how people live off £50 a week, how do they work that out anyway lol thats like having £7 a day to spend on food and nothing else x

 

[AugustMum]

Lol I know its crazy. Luckily Im living with my parents now, and by the time I get my own place I will either have my next lot of student loan or start getting extra benefits. I am very happy knowing that I WILL get money, it just sucks having to wait for it. By the time I get the first installment (which Ive worked out, if they start it on the 29th June Ill get my first lot 12th July) then the baby might already be here and Ill have to inform them of my change of circumstance! lol. Its all so silly.

 

[becks20]

You will be entitled to the highest rate once babas born which is £128 every fortnight IIRC, when i had my daughter they kept me as a single person so i missed out on about 2years of the higher rate x

 

[vixforever]

Income support as I'm what is classed as a 'loan parent' once you have the baby and are aged 18 or over I now get £64.30 a week so it should go up slightly when you have the baby aswell x

 

[Yodabo]

That's still quite low isn't it?! When I was claiming it years ago with my first son I'm pretty sure I was getting about £130 a week??

 

[AugustMum]

Once shes born Ill be on the higher rate of £65, and then £20 from child benefit and then child tax credit, I do believe thats what theyre called. So thatll add it up to around £140 or something like that. So its not too bad. Id be on a low income and income support as well so Id get rent paid and as a full time student dont have to pay council tax.

Im a little worried about when I finish uni and get a job though, cause I think they might just cut all my benefits and Ill be better off not working. So want to get a decent job though. Hummm...all this stuff is baffling lol.

 

[becks20]

if you get a job of 16hours they still pay part of your rent plus you get child tax credit + working tax credits. i was worked out i would be £60 better off a week if i worked but they didnt take into account how much rent i have to top up and how much my bills are lol and child care x

 

[vixforever]

Once shes born Ill be on the higher rate of £65, and then £20 from child benefit and then child tax credit, I do believe thats what theyre called. So thatll add it up to around £140 or something like that. So its not too bad. Id be on a low income and income support as well so Id get rent paid and as a full time student dont have to pay council tax.

Im a little worried about when I finish uni and get a job though, cause I think they might just cut all my benefits and Ill be better off not working. So want to get a decent job though. Hummm...all this stuff is baffling lol.

if you get a job of 16hours they still pay part of your rent plus you get child tax credit + working tax credits. i was worked out i would be £60 better off a week if i worked but they didnt take into account how much rent i have to top up and how much my bills are lol and child care x

Melio - once baby is a year old it drops by about a tenner in child tax credits and keeps dropping.

Becks - Nope they never do take other bills into account and child care lol.