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Hi....to cut a long story short I have been told by CYPS (social services) that I will have to be a full time stay at home dad as my partner is mentally to unstable to look after our expectant daughter. We were given the choice that I am main carer and supervise her...she wont have this though and is walking out on me and our daughter. (makes a change its the women doing this hey!) My daughter is expectant in 2 weeks.
I am really worried I wont be able to survive on benefits - entitled to says I will get the following a month with every benefit
Tax Credits - £255.92
Housing Benefit - £447.32
Child Benefit - £82.8
Income Support - £292.4
Total £1078.44
Is this all the help I will get?
I have been working for 13 years and have never claimed benefits and have 3 other children from a previous relationship who I pay for every month and am currently in a decent job earning £37k with a company car etc.
I hear stories how single mums and benefit scroungers get shed loads of benefits but for a normal guy like me who actually genuinely needs the system to help him I am set for a financial melt down! 🙁
I intend on going back to work once my daughter is 6 months old but those six months I am not working im really dredding as I will literally only be able to afford to pay my rent and utilities and food.
Any other single full time dads out there in the same situ??!?
Here's sme links....one from the Money Advice Service and another about paternity leave, don't know if this will apply though.
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/child-tax-credit
You will also be entitled to claim maintenance from her if she secures work after the birth...long shot I know.
It's not an ideal solution, but while you are still in work, you could consider taking out a 0% credit card and transferring some money out of that to tide you over for 6 months - you can get 36 month 0% now I think (check moneysavingsexpert) - but you absolutely must take out the minimum you need for the 6 months and make sure you make at least the minimum payment each month (or you'll lose the 0%) - set up a standing order to do this, and you must budget to pay it back as soon as possible once you are earning again. It might be enough to tide you over until you get back to work.
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