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Help can anyone advise on my benefit situation

Tobiaz87

hi all I am hoping for some advice as I’ve wracked my brains and cannot understand, I live at home with my 3 children with my mum i am an occupier and receive only child tax and child benefit as a lone parent, I never moved over to job seekers when child turned 5 (she is now 10) and helped my mum with bills etc using child tax and child benefit. I’ve only just realised that the council and still has me down as still receiving income support which obviously ended 5 years ago (my mum didn’t realise ) and I’m terrified of this as I assumed this would all be automatically updated. The reason I never made claim for jsa when income support stopped is because I look after a sick mum and have a child with autism who I’ve not claimed DLA for as was awaiting an echp which still hasn’t materialised and felt that whilst my son is still young I would not feel comfortable in a job as I’m his only and prime care network. I’m very confused with all the benefits and what affects what and cannot eat or sleep for the worry of it all an in advice would be greatly appreciated many thanks

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poppy123456

It shouldn’t really make any difference to your housing benefit if it’s child tax credits you’re claiming and not working tax credits as well.

Now you’ve realised you will need to ring your local Authority and update the details just incase.

Is there any reason why you didn’t claim Universal Credit when your Income Support ended? Have you used a benefits calculator to check entitlement? You’re probably losing out on entitlement to some money by not claiming.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=2209b90f-2908-4e8f-b1b9-d5b1431dd2b7

You will at some point soon receive a letter asking you to claim UC as part of managed migration anyway. The UC will include money for yourself, children and help with the rent.

You mention caring for your mum, does she claim a disability benefit? If so are you claiming carers allowance for looking after her?

Albus_Alumni

Heya @Tobiaz87 and welcome to the community.

I can see Poppy is already assisting you here, so I won't confuse things. I just wanted to stop in and say hello quickly. 😁

Tobiaz87

Thankyou for your reply, my income support ended in 2018 as my child turned 5 I think I was supposed to move to job seekers but due to me caring for 3 children one with autism and living with my mum who’s the tenant and claims housing benefit and council tax as she is now of state pension age and beforehand she was on ESA support group, it is not until I’ve checked her council bill I’ve realised they have me as receiving income support which I haven’t been for 5 years my mum wasn’t aware as I was helping her with water and elec side of things through my child tax and child benefit. I’m just a little scared as this is 5 years now and a genuine mistake. Also child tax seem to think I’m on income support but I’m not I assumed all of this was updated on their end when child turns 5. I feel I’m in a bit of a mess with it all as I’ve not claimed anything for me only child tax child benefit and living with mum. My tax credits will end shortly and ny children’s father will be moving in as I’ve been going through a rough time lately trying to care for my son and family deaths etc so I won’t be moving to universal credit I’m just worried how the last 5 years of only being on child tax and no income support of job seekers will affect everything, it’s all a bit of a mess and I find benefits confusing at the best of times. Thanks for any advice you can give it is greatly appreciated

Tobiaz87

My main concern is as I’ve not worked or claimed job seekers or income support etc for five years how will the council know how to recalculate what I owe for those 5 years I’m just very confused and becoming ill by the whole situation

poppy123456

All you can do is ring them and tell them what’s happened and be honest.

When your Income Support ended it may not have been JSA that you needed to claim, it could have been Universal Credit as it would have depended what was in your area at that time.

Tobiaz87

thanks il will speak to council as I feel it’s my mistake and I can’t seem to find anyone who’s been in similar situation so makes it all the more confusing