Hi,
Just wanted to say hi to all, just found the website, looking for help as i am a single parent of a 14 year old girl. i have been a single parent for 11 years and it truely feels every year gets more and more difficult, financially and emotionally. I have a very small circle of family and friends who have issues of their own. My daughters father does see her once a fornight and nothing inbetween. I was told by him that I chose to have custody of her, she was my responsibility and I have to take the responsibility of looking after her.
He doesn't pay maintenance, my own fault for feeling bad as he has started a new family and has a second child on the way and is struggling for money himself, or so I thought. I want to be able to take care of my daughter without the help of her father because being a mother of a teenager feels like the worse thing on earth without having to go to battle with him over his father responsibilies.
If anyone has any idea of any charities that help financially with things like school transport and uniform ect, it's a worry when you know school trips are going to be coming up and there is no way you are going to be able to afford these. i am not entitle too benefits, I receive child tax credit but not entitle to working tax credit.
If anyone has any information to help, it would be greatfully received.
Also very good website, some interesting information and courses that will help me (hopefully).
Your ex should be maintenance for your daughter regardless of any new family he may have. My ex does pay and has done all my daughters life as it gets taken directly from his wages. We also recieve child tax credit, which gets topped up with income support. If you aren't working or your earnings are low you may be able to get some extra help there. We are fortunate enough to get extra financial aid due to my sons disability but that didn't happen until recently, prior to this we struggled a great deal. For about a decade we lived daily not knowing if I could afford to feed my children and got into great debt. Thankfully, although it took a long time, we discovered all we are entitled to and live comfortably. It's worth looking on the direct.gov website to see if there is anything else you can claim and whether you can get help towards uniform and free school meals. Best of luck.
Thank you both, you have given me lots of information to go on with, greatfully received x
I work 30 hours and thankfully I live in a housing association house so rent is a little bit lower.
Thanks again for the quick response, it's very kind of you both.
Hi Pink Rossi
I am then presuming from what you have told us that your earnings push you just above the threshold for Working Tax Credit? if that is the case then it does make it less likely that you would be able to obtain a grant from a charity as these are usually given to people on the very lowest income. It's tough when you suddenly get just past the cut-off point as you can end up worse off with all the bills to pay and no help towards it, I remember it happening to me! I honestly think the best way of increasing your income is through child support from your child's father.
Hi pinkrossi and welcome from me.
Remember that child support is for the child, not you. Would your daughter consider asking him for help with school trips or her uniform?
You might also consider talking with your daughters school, mine had a hardship fund, that came in handy a couple of times.
However unfortunately as Louise states, once you are off the lowest income bracket, the amount of support you can get is limited.
How is your daughter? Is she enjoying school?
Hi,
It's a bit of a sore subject as I had previously did this a few years ago and he threatened to give up work, we came to an arrangement and when his first child came along, stopped paying. She has asked for school shoes so that is a little help, he never offers and she doesn't like to ask, But thanks again.
My daughter is starting school in a couple of weeks, unfortunately had to move her due to the lovely friends and her behaviour as a consequence. hopefully it's the right decission.
Very difficult financially and emotionally but hopefully get through this soon.
Hi Pinkrossi, well we are here to support you through this change, so please don't feel as though you are totally alone, we have been there too 
I know that you ex has threatened to give up work before, however now he has another family to provide for, so he might not be in the same position to be able to give up work, remember that he only threatened it...and it worked, you backed off.
CSA is for your daughter, she is entitled to it. You don't need to raise the subject with him, you can just go ahead and do it.Why should he get away with not providing for his child?
Sorry to hear that you have difficulties with school, is she looking forward to this new one?
Thank you Anna.
She seems to be looking forward to it, so it's a good start.
I glad I stumbled on this website, it's the first step to get back on my feet. Been single parent 11 years and it's harder now than it's ever been!
Hey Pinkrossi, nothing wrong with a change of school. My daughter moved away from her friends last year to start afresh here and it's been amazing for her. Socially it was hard for her to start with and because of the school she attends, she has no friends in the local village, but she has friends and academically she has surpassed the expectations of all her previous schools.
I've been a single parent 13 years, it's funny how it changes as your children change and grow. I prefer mine this age as they can communicate with me as young adults.
Keep cracking at getting the CSA; if your ex threatens anything ignore him and go for it anyway. He has to pay whether he likes it or not!
Hello Pink Rossi and welcome.
First of all it is your daughter's father's responsibility to pay child support towards his daughter's upkeep. Have a look at Child Maintenance Options.
Secondly you say you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit. How many hours do you work? If you do not work, do you received Job Seeker's Allowance? What is your housing situation?
You can get in touch with your Area Education Office to enquire about help with uniforms and the school will know of any help re school trips. I used to use my sons' school second hand uniform shop; most schools have one.
As for grants etc, it is a time-consuming process to search but one of the best sites is Turn2us.
We have some great online courses on this site you may also like to have a look at.
Gosh I seem to have given you a lot of information there!