Don't get me wrong, I am very very glad of the benefit system the UK has in place, without it I probably would have had to work myself to death. Just it has a lot of holes, gaps and grey areas. I seem to fall into all three.
I recieve DLA (Disability Living Allowence), and as Chris works we have his wage, plus child and working tax credits and of course child benefit (not that that allows you to even buy milk/baby food and nappies for a week anymore). We get a contribution to our rent (housing benefit) and our council tax (council tax benefit) due to our situation. However, once all bills are paid, even with Chris's wage we have somewhere in the region of £5-£10 spare at the end of the month, which obviously presents a problem if, for example, either me or Chris (or Niamh for the matter) require new clothes (this has been an issue over the past few months as I've just lost almost 3 stone).
I'm not complaining, we can survive on what we have, and for that i'm very greatful. Just along the way there have been many issues and complications and my family have had to bail us out many times, and I am very lucky to have a family that have been in the position to do that. Let me explain.
When I was 5 months pregnant we moved. Clearly it would have been stupid to look for a one bedroom property to rent, when I was going to have a baby. So, we found the two bedroom flat, the problem was, until I actually had Niamh we were only entitled to the housing benefit allowence for a one bedroom property. This was totally understandable, but we just didn't want to be in the position where we had to move with a baby. This meant that I used much of my savings towards rent.
Working tax credits would have helped us a mjorly at this point, but because I didn't work (couldn't work, still can't) we couldn't get it because Chris wasn't 25. Stupid system. We fit all the requirements, except he was too young, idoicy! We asked the job centre, and the tax credit people and NO ONE could tell us why you had to be 25 to recieve them if you didn't have kids!
Speaking of, getting stuff for Niamh before she was born would have been actually impossible without my family and the remainder of my savings. Although I am too ill to work, classed as disabled, and recieve DLA, have a blue badge and a disabled bus pass, I can't get ESA (Employment Support Allowence) because Chris works too many hours. He doesn't earn enough for me not to recieve it according to the job centre but because he works more than 24 hours a week I simply can't recieve it. Due to this situation, even the lady we spoke to at the job centre agreed that we would be better off if Chris didn't work, and officially became my career. He would be more than entitled to careers allowence, as at the moment, even with work, he cares for me in excess of the 16 hours a week requirement. If he was to leave work, I would recieve ESA, this is a passport benefit so our full rent would be paid for us, we would also get the full amount of council tax benefit. Chris would recieve carers allowence, we would get income support.
Because I wasn't on any of these benefits before I had Niamh, and obiviously I didn't get maternity pay of any kind, I wasn't entitled to any finanical support before she was born. Making purchasing the stuff required for a new born impossible independantly. There is a one of payment of £500 that can be given if you are on selected benefits, but I wasn't. I did recieve the health in pregnancy grant which I think is either £109 ot £190 but everyone gets that regardless of their finanical situation. I used the remainder of my savings and my parents helped. I did everything as cheaply as possible but it was still hard.
Everytime I think i've cracked it, I think I know how we can cope, how we can survive something changes. For example our child and working tax credits have dropped dramatically at the start of this finanical year. So now I have to rethink everything, the money we have coming in has reduced but the amount of bills we have to pay is obviously still the same. ERGH! I don't know what to do.
To add to this, I have major brain fog at the moment and couldn't think my way out of a paper bag, so I can't really sit down and work it all out by myself, probably not even with assistance at the moment. If I could do this it might relieve my anxiety a bit, but I can't so I'm just constently worried.
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