With the A level results out today and children returning to schools and colleges in a few weeks time, I thought we would have a quick look at what financial support could be available to help cover educational costs. If your child is at school or college and 16 or over you may still get Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit up till their 20th birthday if they are in non-advanced education. ... VIEW POST
A Level Result Time & Benefits
Tax Credits Renewal
Tax Credits Renewal : Just in case you have missed all the adverts on tv or the bill boards notices, your tax credits renewal needs to be in by 31st July .Tax credits should have sent you a tax credits renewal pack in the post. You could have used the renewal pack to renew your tax credits but as the deadline is tomorrow you will need to give them a call and renew over the phone. ... VIEW POST
46% of Single Parents
Just over a week ago we posted about the benefit cap being rolled out across the UK. Gingerbread has looked at the DWP figures and found that 46% of the households affected will be single parents who claim income support. Income support is a benefit that is in place for those who are not in a position to work, like single parents who have a child under 4. Gingerbread also have said that 65% of those affected by the benefit cap will be single parent families as many will be pushed over the cap ... VIEW POST
Benefit Cap Starts
After a trial run in the London boroughs of Haringey, Enfield, Croydon and Bromley since April of this year, the new benefit cap is now being rolled out across the rest of the UK. Couples will now not receive more than £500 a week and single people can only receive up to £350. The benefit cap applies to people on jobseeker's allowance, child benefit, child tax credits, housing benefits and other benefits. "The benefit cap returns fairness to the benefits systems," Mr Duncan Smith said. "It ... VIEW POST
Council Tax Changes 2013
You can imagine my absolute delight at opening my council tax bill this morning for the coming year to read I now have to pay more. Yippeee – not . Now don’t get me wrong I am all for paying my way and all that and I understand that the government is trying to sort the finances out so we all have to jolly well pitch in and smile while we empty out our purses but what has annoyed me is how my council have gone about it and the amount they have decided on. ... VIEW POST
Will Universal Credit Single out Single Parents?
A new analysis by Gingerbread and The Children’s Society says that more than a quarter of a million young or disabled parents will have support dramatically cut under Universal Credit. The report reveals that young and disabled parents could lose hundreds if not thousands of pounds each year under Universal Credit. In total 900,000 single parent families will lose out when Universal Credit is in place. ... VIEW POST