Not sure if I'm putting this in the right place but worth a try.

Ok so am a single parent just turning 24 I have my daughter every day bar weekends when she goes to stay with her dad I'm only on benefits I get 53 a week and 45 of that is used for my gas and electric total rip off. So I thought as my daughter is away on weekends I took it upon myself to get a weekend job in a night club. I was under the influence u do not have to declare working to the social if it was under 16 hours a week. So I started in November and everything was goin great til last week I received a letter saying my benefits where goin to be stopped if I didn't attend an appointment with the social. I attended and was absolutely gob smacked for what they had to say. Apparently you are only aloud to earn the 1st 20 pound from ur wages anything over that will be taking from ur benefits I was eating 50 pound from the night club which I was using to provide food for me and my daughter but apparently I am not aloud to this and only aloud to earn the 20 pound a week so it won't effect by benefits. Am I th only person who finds this a total joke am I single parent being penalised for trying to provide for my daughter. So now I have a total of 8 pound a week for food can u lot tell me your thought on this. I worked out I need to be earning over 1000 pound a month just to live as I left school early with no qualifications there's not a chance I could get a job that pays out so much. So basically am just existing to look after my daughter, if anyone knows of anywhere that is taking on with a good wage I would appreciate it if u could contact me. Sorry for my ranting I just find the whole thing disgusting.

Kirsty look into working tax credits and ask at the dole what other benefits you are entitled to as I know they can give you plenty of help and top ups when you find a job even a low paid one.
Hope this helps

So let me get this right, you claim benefits for looking after your daughter, you get a job and dont declare it, so you can keep drawing benefits, you get caught and you think the system is disgusting ???

Hello Kirsty, if you took a low paid job of minimum hours you would get housing benefit, council tax school dinners etc,
you would be better off this way than a high paying job
you will find plenty of weekend work in care homes etc and you will be amazed what you get also child benefit and maintenance not taken into account
its hard on your own but there is help for you go to an advisor at jobcentre or citizens advice
also does the father pay any maintenance?? also he could help out with clothing when he has his daughter at weekends
wish you well....go for it

As I said me and many people I know under the influence that u don't have to declare unless ur working over 16 hours as the government says working under 16 hours dosnt effect ur benefits when it clearly does

Hello Kirsty, if you took a low paid job of minimum hours you would get housing benefit, council tax school dinners etc,
you would be better off this way than a high paying job
you will find plenty of weekend work in care homes etc and you will be amazed what you get also child benefit and maintenance not taken into account
its hard on your own but there is help for you go to an advisor at jobcentre or citizens advice
also does the father pay any maintenance?? also he could help out with clothing when he has his daughter at weekends
wish you well....go for it

Yes and I am only aloud to earn the first 20 pound anything over willbe takin off by benefits even my advisor told me I'm best leaving the job or get one that pays enough to cover my rent council tax food bills clothes and expences and for the smart ass I didn't get caught if wasn't doin anything wrong I come on here to ask for advice not for a smart ass to tell me I'm doing wrong ok thanks you to the people with useable advice

sadly you have to inform them if ANY changes occur to your circumstances, it technically could be classed as benefit fraud.

Tell the dad to pull his finger out an pay for his daughter, thats if he isnt already.

you say you need to earn over 1k a month to live, how is that so?

as you get 53 a week in benefits, so 212 a month, your rent is paid for which for the two of you cant really be over 550 odd and if it is you could get somewhere much cheaper if its just the two of you, plus they pay council tax.

So surely working full time WOULD work out better than being on the dole, maybe not by a huge amount but better than being on the dole

That's exactly what I want to do is work full time I have been to the crb and they told me there advice that was not very useful to b honest if I earn over 20 while I'm still on benefits anything over will be takin off housing ect so basically I was goijn to work earning 50 pound a week but really only 20 as I have to pay the shortfall of what they have takin of my benefits

The benefits in this country are well over the top, it makes me sad to read that someone would go for a low paid job and let the state pay the rest, or even suggest the state pay the rest for that matter, I think the girl who started this IS willing to do an honest days work for good money, I know its wrong to get a job and not declare it, but I cant blame her for wanting the best for her daughter.

the problem you have now is if you quit the job you WILL be sanctioned as its classed as leaving while somebody is willing to employ you!!socondly you cannot get working tax credits unless you work 16 hours or more!!!and people who are making you look bad on this post haven't got a clue,people need to get there heads from up their arse and realise when somebody is trying to do whats best for their kids!!!if they do stop your money there is a thing called "hardship payments"that you can claim,even tho the job centre probably wont tell you that!!ask the nightclub if they can give you 16 hrs so you can claim working tax credits!!i take it you are already in reciept of child tax credits and child allowance?

Oh right I have never heard of that before well Luckily my benefits haven't been stopped cause I didn't earn over 2000 from my employer so it's not fraud I was just over paid by 30 pound a week and most of the people on here trying to make me look bad probably haven't the slightest clue what it's like to be living on so little and probably never suffered hardship that's why there so quick to judge me I couldn't give a f... About what u think I know I'm a better person than u could ever be because if someone asked me for advice I wouldn't make them look bad I would give them every bit of helpful information I knew thanks to the helpful people much appreciated

How old is your daughter?

I was a single mum from 18, having left school at 12 I went back to do an english exam at 16 and passed, when my kids (who are now 18 + 16) were young I would rely on friends to have them whilst I went to work...in crappy underpaid jobs, once they were in school full time I went back to college and got myself some computing skills, a lot of hard work and time later I am now a department manager, and I also have a 2 year old...there is a light at the end of the tunnel...you just have to plod on through, and ignore the people who have a go...if you know you're doing your best then that's good enough...what would they know?? xxx

As for benefits, if you work a minimum 16 hours you will be entitled to child tax credits, working tax credits, housing benefits, council tax benefits and free school meals.

My daughter is 5 in July

And it's sad really I don't trust my family with my daughter after what I went through as a child so she really has only got me her dad and his parents and they all work through the week then she stays with them at a weekend.
So it's me and her through the week I do voluntary a few hours a week to gain the experience I want but still no look on any job offers I am considering going to college but will have to find a course that runs during school hours or allows me to bring my work home it's very hard trying to get things done during school hours but I am defiantly considering college think it's my only option xxx

Sorry, i do know what its like to be skint, me and the wife have brought our 2 kids up on not a lot of money, we have taken shitty jobs and not expected everyone else to pay for our kids, its called standing on your own 2 feet and taking responsibility for your own actions

Yes and that's exactly what am trying to do thanks if u have nothing productive to say then don't comment at all thanks people like u really piss me off oh am sooooo sorry that ur so much better than me

exactly you and your wife!!!this girl is on her own so she can't just go out and get a job any hours she likes.

You're paying £180 a month for gas and electric? Do you run a pot farm or something?

Haha I wish at least I would be making money haha that was joke by the way before anyone jumps on the wagon.

That's part of reason I left my partner he wasn't paying the bills from his acount while I thought he was so I was left with an electric and gas bill just over 2 grand so my metres are taking of 10 pound a week debt for both

Good luck to you Kirstylou ignore the negatives ,you are trying hard and i take my hat off to you ,ask the dad for some thing extra ,and don`t be too honest about what you do .The government are screwing all of us over so if you can get something back go for it just don`t tell any one your business as far too many peeps will grass you up ,play your cards close to your chest good luck again things will get better for you i`m sure

My gas an electrcity is 200 a month now lol an thats not because i owe any debt or have meters, and theres only 2 of us here, guess i just use loads because am lazy and dont turn things off

Kirsty. Unfortunately you have fallen foul of not knowing the regulations and going on what you heard rather than checking yourself.
Unfortunate, but it is not the system that is at fault here.

However, in your circumstances, have you considered a Debt Relief Order to get you on the straight and narrow again?

Visit the CAB again and ask about it. It would be suitable for someone with less than £15,000 of debt and with little disposable income. Certainly your gas and electric debts would be included and also any other things you owe. The total cost would be £90.00 and would give you a fresh start.

I would love to have a spare 90 pound to be able to that

I didnt say I was better than you, all I said was perhaps you should start taking responsibility for your own actions, get the dad to start paying his way, try to get back to college and get some qualifications, and good luck for the future (see im not all bad)

you have to be working 24 hours a week now to qualify for working tax credit . im not shocked about the amount of your gas and electric mine is 300 a month and i have no debt to pay either

oh and just as a note, i have been trying to get my ex to pay maintenance for the last ten years and still nothing. the csa are useless so no point chasing that one. good luck with your job and keep trying to do your best

My gas and electricity is £62.00 per month! What the hell are you people doing? Sounds like you're all paying for the whole street!

It does. I was annoyed a couple of weeks ago when Manweb Scottish Power increased mine from £31 to £39 per month for both.

If you are that hard up then there are big savings to be made by being economical with your energy use.

By posting your situation on a public forum you open yourself to all comments, good and bad. Why should you expect only sympathy?

My gas and electric 93 month for both. 3 bed house , i in most days,love central heating cook with gas -two teenagers too!

Regardeing the fuel debt you were left with, there's a charitable organisation called Charis that in certain circumstances can clear a fuel debt, as long as some sort of plan is sorted out to try and avoid that situation recurring, which yours is unlikely to do, as it was a one-off. The CAB should know about the Charis grant - would be worth asking them. Website is http://charisgrants.com/ and they offer help through funds operated by various suppliers. there are online application forms you could look at to see if you were in with a chance.

Without those debts hanging over you, you would then be able to shop around for your gas and electricity - some suppliers are offering better deals than others, even for prepayment meters. It's worth taking a look at the price comparison websites like www.uswitch.com for example. Good luck!

There are various charities which you could approach for financial help.
The reference library will have a copy of a big thick book " A Directory of Charities and Grant Making Trusts ". They may only apply to people living in a particular area . For example young ladies from TRANMERE can apply for financial grant to do a course at a University . This is cos money was in a Trust Fund from an old school - long since closed down- called Higher Tranmere High School for Girls. The Womens Engineering Society may give small grants to any females seeking to train for a career in Engineering.The Kay Kelly fund may help women-esp. single parent mums -to train in Social Work or Youth Work. Special little charity in Bebington area only for Further Educ. Grants.
Most churches have some funds donated by their congregations and often
the local minister or vicar has some discretion in giving out small monetary grants. You have to make enquiries and not be too proud to ask for help.

Agree with littlestan and Greenwood. You need support not critics.
For the record it is still 16 hours for single parents to claim tax credits. The 24 hours is for couples.
You do not need to be a church member for help.CAB have lists of charities.
Good luck and well done for trying.Try (who have members all over Wirral)The St Vincent de Paul Society

Tel: 0207 407 4644
Email:[email protected]

I don't know owt about the benefits system, but I know how hard it can be for single parents. I am a single parent meself, the kids are grown up now, but it was hard bringing up four kids on me own. I'll ask around for any jobs for you, but not many taking on now.
Tis a bugger taking money from you for doing your best. The powers that be have no idea how hard it is, and you were only earning coppers. Them coppers make a massive difference though. Hope it all works out for you.
If I find anything, I'll send you a private message

Would just like to thank those people who commented on this thread with the useful information I have now made a application to charis grants. After making this thread I realised there are some amazing people about who offer there help and I would just like to thank u all so very much

keep your job,just change the benefits you,re claiming ,get child ben ,council tax and rent help depending on how much you earn,tho i think you,ll se it will be of more benefit you and do wonders for your self esteem then you can earn what you like,as wel paying jobs are hard to come by,keep the job and good luck