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I think im about to be made a scapegoat in work for something in order to set an example to staff and other organisations. Pretty soon i could be out of a job. If i resign what type of financial help do you think i could get benefits wise. Im starting a degree in sept and was only working 2 days a week around that. Im a lone parent with 3 kids 13 4 and 2 and petrified about losing my job but according to my calculations i will be better off financially if i leave work and they can't blemish my work record because i resigned before they could make me a scapegoat. Any help here about finances would be great. Im so uncertain where to go with this. Im struggling to make ends meet with my job anyway and they try and change hours here and there so my childcare is compromised. I currently get housing benefit because my wages are low. I need any advice possible like would i be penalised for walking out of a job that i think im gonna lose anyway?
Thanks Trace
Hi tracydawn, welcome form me too xxx
I am fairly certain that if you are a lone parent and have children under 7 then you dont have to work ie you can claim income support rather than jobseekers. The thing that isnt seeming to clear from this Government is what happens to people who like yourself ar working but for childcare reasons have to leave. I would suggest you make an appt with a lone parent advisor at the jobcentre and explain your circumstances to them in that your employer has made your position untenable and you feel unable to carry on working as they change your hours etc and your children have to come 1st.
See what they have to say, there is also the 1-2-1 advice for money issues, benefit advice via here, I cant do the link thing but I am sure Louise will be along either later or certainly tomorrow to give you the link for you to mail them.
Hope some of this helps you, one space is a really good site where you will receive lots of great support and advice xxx
Hi tracydawn
I left work at Easter as my childcare arrangement went mad, 1 child all day at reception, 1 half day at nursery, my babe at home and then my eldest at high school. Having 3 five and under it was a nightmare to juggle day to day things and try and work in my just recently qualified career.
I filled in the online benefit form for income support, had the appointment within a couple of days and within three weeks was informaed that I was entitled to Income Support, free school dinners, the health vouchers for children under 4. it takes a while to get it sorted, and my first payment was after twenty days and I have to wait three weeks for next one. My tax credits actually went up! and my rent and council tax are being paid. It is madness that I can be better off than when I was working, in addition I am getting the quality time with my children. I am now studying part time as not used to doing this little and also hope to do a night class in photography (one of my passions) and for the first time in many years I feel like just maybe I may be getting my life back.
As for resigning, it makes no difference to your claim, as long as you have a child under 7 this year (next it's under 6 then the following year under 5) you will be supported. If it is redundancy, take all the money you can get, although this may affect when your entitlement to benefit will start. If you have had enough, get all your forms completed first, housing, council tax, free school dinners. Income support takes 2 days from application for a response and if a phone call takes 20 minutes and longer online.
Hope that helps. This is an amazing site and I am so glad I found it.
Wow everyone! Thank you for this advice. I am so stressed about how this is affecting my kids :( So there does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel and you guys know exactly how to put me on the right road. Thank you so much. So these online forms. Are they on the DWP website? Also can i ask did you just leave or hand in your notice? I just feel juggling the childcare and seeing my children in nursery from 7.30 til 6 whilst im in work is hard. Then if they are sick and we take time off they wont pay me because it wasnt me who was sick. So hard to worry when these things are happening. Have no family to support me. Can i speak to a lone parent advisor before i leave my employment? Such a mystery to me this. Please send as much advice you can give as your advice and help is invaluable and a god send to someone who is hopeless with this type of thing. Thanks again everyone xx
Hi tracydawn, so glad that you found the information useful, its hard when you dont know where to turn isnt it.
I am not sure but imagine that yes the forms will be on the DWP website. I see no reason why you cant speak to a lone parent advisor before you leave your job, at least that way you can have everything in place so hopefully you wont have much of a lapse between wages and benefits.
You are not hopeless, its just that you havent done this before, you will be fine xxx
Others will be along tomorrow to give more advice/support so please do get some rest tonight and try not to worry, everyone here will support you and you will get through this xxx
Hi tracydawn. I hope the others have been able to reassure you of things, and you're less worried about things today. xx
Hello TracyDawn
You have already had a lot of good information. Here is the link to the online claim service. Scroll down to the launch button at the bottom, you will note that you need to register with the Gateway, it will take a few days for you to be sent a password in the post so best to do this NOW, before you leave.
We had someone in the same situation recently but her children were older and it was acknowledged that she "could" face sanctions on her JSA appplication but as you are the single parent of a child under seven, I believe you are entitled to Income Support anyway (although the usual IS provisos apply such as not having more than £6,000 in savings)
I know once you have made the decision to leave you must be itching to do so but my recommendation would be to serve out your notice, if possible: that is what you are contracted to do and also will keep the money coming in while you set things up for Income Support. You will get the full amount of Local Housing Allowance whilst on IS which should cover most of your rent, and you will also be exempt from paying Council Tax. Of course, it is worth remembering that once your youngest reaches the set age (seven at the moment but set to change) you will need to move to Job Seekers Allowance and be looking for work again so you could use the intervening time to improve skills etc, I realise you are already doing a degree, but maybe an IT course as well?
If you want to consult a specialist financial service, here is the link to our own 1-2-1 Money advice service
Hi TracyDawn, please do contact our 1-2-1 service as they can give you all the up to date information that you will need.
Let us know how it goes :)
Hi Traceydawn. I'm not completely sure on this one, but I'm sure someone else has posted on a similar subject. I'll scout around for the post, and see what I can find. Others will be along at some point, either today or tomorrow, who'll be able to help you.
Welcome along to One Space by the way. xx