Can i claim income support if i quit my job?

[char16]

Hi. Im a single mum of 2 children, aged 4 years, and 19 months, and im struggling. I work part time (16hours a week), and am really struggling to make ends meet. Both my children go to nursery due to me working, and its getting to a point where im just going to work to pay the nursery fees, and we have almost no expendable income. Im struggling to pay the bills, and am really stressed all the time. Im considering leaving work, but dont want to hand my notice in as i dont want to be left with no money at all if i cant claim income support etc straight away. Does anybody know if i would have to wait to claim, or can i do it straight away? Please help!

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG. I hope we'll be able to help you.

 

Are you claiming all the benefits you're entitled to? If you're not sure, I can post a link to a benefits calculator.

 

My best, HB

[char16]

Ive double checked, and i am claiming everything im entitled to

[honeybee13]

That's a shame, it was worth a try I suppose.

 

I hope more of the forum guys will be along later with thoughts for you.

 

HB

[hine moa]

But... but...I've been told... 'no one who is a single parent and works is worse off'' was spouted to me several times at my last single parent meeting

 

I'm a single mum too, knowing that when my youngest reaches the right age I'll be out working too, don't get me wrong, I want to work as I'm fed up being stuck home. I questioned whether we will be able to make ends meet as so many of my friends in the same situation are not any better off, just more stressed than normal. Childcare is their biggest problem, then finding yourself in a situation where you can't afford to pay bills is just going to make people ill with the stress. There certainly needs to be a better incentive, we actually need to be able to 'live'.

[char16]

I really dont want to quit work, but its just not benefiting me financially anymore. In fact, its probably costing me to go. Its a terrible situation really

[Nystagmite]

If you leave and claim income support, you won't be sanctioned.

[Guest]

Isnt there a provision for mothers with young children to claim income support until the youngest child is a certain age? maybe worth having a look on the dwp.gov.uk website. Am sure that your youngest child would cover this. My neighbours daughter had to look for work last year when her son was 5 and in full time school but until then it was her choice to work or not, and she claimed income support until then as she looked into work but as you say the childcare costs, which she added fares etc to and she was worse off so she couldn't do it. So much for being better off working etc..I would be writing to my MP if I were you.

[hine moa]

Isnt there a provision for mothers with young children to claim income support until the youngest child is a certain age? maybe worth having a look on the dwp.gov.uk website. Am sure that your youngest child would cover this. My neighbours daughter had to look for work last year when her son was 5 and in full time school but until then it was her choice to work or not, and she claimed income support until then as she looked into work but as you say the childcare costs, which she added fares etc to and she was worse off so she couldn't do it. So much for being better off working etc..I would be writing to my MP if I were you.

 

Once your child is three they are entitled to 15 hours free childcare, you are then 'encouraged' to work and yes when the child starts full time school, you 'have' to find work.

[Guest]

15 hours free childcare sounds good...but I wonder how many places for it are actually available. Its one thing having an entitlement and sometimes quite another actually getting it.

[Nystagmite]

Unless you have another reason to claim income support, (such as a carer) you either switch to JSA or ESA when the youngest is 5.

[char16]

My eldest daughter does get her 15 hrs per week free, but because of the times i work, i also have to put her in morning club, which i have to pay for. I also have to put my youngest daughter in nursery for full days, as i work from 10 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon, so she cant go in either of the sessions, and the hourly rates are so high at the couple of nurseries that do an hourly rate, that its cheaper to pay for a full day. I do get help with nursery fees, but they are so high, that the amount i have to pay towards is pretty much all of my monthly wage

[hine moa]

My eldest daughter does get her 15 hrs per week free, but because of the times i work, i also have to put her in morning club, which i have to pay for. I also have to put my youngest daughter in nursery for full days, as i work from 10 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon, so she cant go in either of the sessions, and the hourly rates are so high at the couple of nurseries that do an hourly rate, that its cheaper to pay for a full day. I do get help with nursery fees, but they are so high, that the amount i have to pay towards is pretty much all of my monthly wage

 

My youngest is not two yet, let alone three but I listened with interest at the 15 hours free and asked my advisor what that actually meant. She avoided answering my question by changing the subject.

I remember my now 10 year old daughter being entitled to a certain amount of hours of childcare when she was younger, but there were restrictions in that she had to be attending a nursery group session, maybe you can answer my question lol

Are there still restrictions on this 'free' childcare, which shouldn't really be labelled childcare if that is the case, not every single parent is going to be able to find a job that fits in with school hours, there aren't enough schools for a start! That was my advisor's answer to all my questions, 'you can find a job in a school' which makes me think these 'free' hours of childcare are actually just free access to nursery sessions.

[Guest]

I would guess they are free access to nursery sessions, I seem to recall my neighbours daughter saying that when her child was 3 the nursery sessions were free, the child had started the nursery at 2 and mother had to pay for a year....and given that nursery places are limited etc...its not such a fantastic "entitlement".

 

I hope you get sorted out, and its a shame if you like your work, but it seems your another one let down by this govt, and it isn't making you better off in work...but as the other post said, with a child under 5 you can claim income support and you don't have to work. Whatever you decide Good Luck.

[Nystagmite]

15 hours free childcare

 

Hope that helps.

[hine moa]

15 hours free childcare

 

Hope that helps.

 

Thank you for the link, pity my advisor couldn't have given me more information lol I'll check again with the nursery at my daughters school where she went what their provision is nowadays, hopefully it will still be the same in a years time when I'm looking for childcare. Although, it's not my first choice this time around so we'll see when the time comes. I hope it will be beneficial for me to work when my lad turns three, my brain needs more stimulation than it is getting at the moment!

[char16]

My youngest is not two yet, let alone three but I listened with interest at the 15 hours free and asked my advisor what that actually meant. She avoided answering my question by changing the subject.

I remember my now 10 year old daughter being entitled to a certain amount of hours of childcare when she was younger, but there were restrictions in that she had to be attending a nursery group session, maybe you can answer my question lol

Are there still restrictions on this 'free' childcare, which shouldn't really be labelled childcare if that is the case, not every single parent is going to be able to find a job that fits in with school hours, there aren't enough schools for a start! That was my advisor's answer to all my questions, 'you can find a job in a school' which makes me think these 'free' hours of childcare are actually just free access to nursery sessions.

 

If your child attends nursery when they get their free entitlement, they do have to do either a morning or afternoon session. I work in a school, and although its great as you get all your school hlos etc, because i work right through lunchtime, i have to pay for the extra provision. Getting a job in a school sounds the perfect solution, but sometimes it really is hard work! I think you can also use your free entitlement with certain childminders, but im not sure if they do morning/afternoon sessions aswell, or if you can use that as you wish. I think thats something you would have to look in to. Hope that helps a little!