Shikira

Hi I am a single parent with three dependents! My last child is under the age of two, however, all my benefits have been stopped; child tax including nursery fees! Working tax and my housing benefit! Firstly the problem started when I was on maternity leave and I claim housing benefit last year, it took them months to sort out my entitlements then when I went back to work! they stopped my housing benefit again and took months to sort out my ellegibilties! I went back and forth to the housing trying to sort it out and and then once it was sorted they stopped it last month. I have been pressured to send in my wage slips and now the want bank statements! I have provided them with the relevant information they have requested for the past 13 Months and they still keep stopping My benefits.  In April I received a letter from inland revenue asking me why I made a single claim if I ain't single! I called them and explain to them that I was! They ask me to provide them with all my house hold agreements including my bank statements so I did! And they still closed my claim! And I am now not getting any working child tax! My daughter can not go nursery therefore I can't go work! I called them again and they said they want proof of where my last child's dad lives to sort out my claim! I explain to them on the phone that him and his mother had a falling out and he asked me of he could use my address as a correspondence address until he got himself permenant address! He is at present down has homeless with the Birmingham city council and has been for a few years he does spend at least two to three nights at his mothers home and has his mail going to her house for correspondence purposes! 

 

Posted on: August 10, 2013 - 1:50am
Louise
Parenting specialist DoppleMe

Hi Shikira and welcome.

First of all please do not let your partner use your address for correspondence. One of the ways that a person "proves" they are not co-habiting is to have a correspondence address elsewhere.

You have obviously had a really hard time regarding benefits and it is ususual to experience quite SO much difficulty and delay. Do you think the question of your partner is what is putting a spanner in the works? That would go some way to explaining it.

First of all he does need to give some proof of where he lives (maybe there is a friend who is NOT on benefits whose address he could use? and who could have him to stay until things are ironed out with his mum) Use any appeals procedure that you are told about in your letters. Find a kind friend or relative who could provide interim care for your little one so you can get to work. And contact your MP about the obstacles that are being put in your way when all you are trying to do is to go to work and support your family. To find your MP, click here.

Posted on: August 10, 2013 - 7:56am