kiri_tc Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Firstly big 's Been through all this myself, although i lost my home as OH threw me out onto the streets. Being on benefits (i presume IS and CTC) you should be entitled to a school clothing grant. Are you claiming your free school meals for the children? You can also apply for a grant from the benefits office, this is a one of payment that you do not need to re-pay. if they refuse that, they can give you a loan, which IIRC is interest free and they take a nominal payment from your benefits each wek, which is usually about a fiver. There is another way but ill PM you that later As for your home: Has your landlady given you written notice? She has to give you 2 months notice to quit. At that point you go to the council with the letter, If you have found no where to live within the 2 months, then you are entitled to stay in the house until the landlady goes to court and gets a possesion order. The council have an obligation to offer you somewhere as you will be homeless and you ahve dependants, regardless of how long you ahve lived in the area. Do you have a local housing association? if so get your name down. I presume your in private rented, so you should have a deposit tied up in the house?? can you get your landlady to write a letter saying that you have that money tied up and it will be returned at the end of the tenancy, so that you can show any new prospective landperson that you will produce the deposit once it has been released from her. I will PM you once ive done the school run, and hope this helps a little Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 I would second what other's have suggested. Let us know roughly where you are, someone near you might be able to help with having knowledge of the local area. Your local housing association might be able to offer some help if you contact them. I'd hope you'd take priority with them. As you mentioned you're 'up' there, I'm assuming you're nowhere near me (I'm in Oxfordshire) but I've just looked on my County Council's website and there are quite a few vacancies for Teaching Assistants, two of which are with SEN pupils and one is working with Inclusion. It sounds like you have fab experience of this so you might find that something comes up soon in your own area (I'm just thinking of people coming back from Easter break to give their notice). What's your local supermarket? Daft question but humour me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazydaisy Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 to you and your family. As well as all the advice which has been given to you, have you thought of working as a teaching assistant at another school? Councils usually have a list of supply teaching assistants, could you put your name on that list and get "your foot into the door" at another school. Does your childrens school have a "swap shop" for outgrown uniform? I am on IS and CTC as well, I think you can get a crisis loan? Depending on the age of your children could you babysit to make some extra money? In my area there is a training course to become a teaching assistant which you can do whilst on benefit and it pays an extra amount. There may be a similar scheme in your area. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckey-lee Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 hiya hun, if it would be of any use and some one on here could help out with the transport I'd love to foster your doggies for you untill you can have them back Vivian -xxx- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura g Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 i dont usually do emotithingies but thats alot of stuff going on. no wonder you feel like your at breaking point. biggest thing though is where are you? like otherts have said: just an idea would be useful. and are you where you want to be for the foreseeable? are you looking to stay in the same area. and your son ..... re school uniform. bet i'm like a lot of people - always trying to shift the outgrown stuff. what colour is his uniform and what age / size does he wear? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careli Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 I can not offer any more constructive advice other than whats already be given. I can not begin to imagine what you are going through. Just wanted to give you a big As you are most probably aware, this is a very friendly, caring community and we'll do all we can to help. Even if its just being here for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfiesmum Posted March 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Thankyou so much for all your replies, hopefully I can answer some of your questions. The problem is that due to a stroke I had seven years ago after the birth of my son Im on incapacity benefit rather than Income support, which is about five pounds more per week and entitles me to a disability allowance in my child tax credit. The only problem with that is that Im only allowed to earn less than £89 per week and less than 16 hours and I have to get a form signed by the school to send to Incapacity, which has proved difficult to be employed in the first place. If I was to go on income support I would be getting a lot less. Because my sons school know me, they have tweaked the hours and pay to fit which is why its going to be so difficult to find another job. Ive thought about childminding which Ive done when my eldest son was at home, but its not allowed in my tenancy agreement. You are only entitled to Crisis/uniform/Community Care grants if you are on Income support as Ive already looked into that one when my car needed sorting as its my mobility as well as transport. It says under my name at the side I think - Im in Nantwich Cheshire. Local supermarket is Morrisons for whoever asked My eldest school uniform is black trousers and pale blue long sleeved shirts hes in aged 15 size as hes 5 ft 9! No free courses for teaching assistants here Im afraid. Im ringing the local housing association in about ten minutes as they dont open until 10. Im not entitled to a council house, I dont have enough 'points' and Ive not lived in this council area long enough unfortunately. Sorry this sounds so negative, Ive had to talk to the children this morning at length and they are both in floods of tears. Thankyou for the hugs xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kats n greys Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Can't offer any advice, but hope something is sorted soon for you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheryl33 Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Lots of fugees in Cheshire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui d Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 the points system the council use changes as your circumstances do, get a letter from your land lord confirming you are about to be homeless and take it to them, your points will shoot up and you will become a priority case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkle Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 No help here what so ever but lots of 's on the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOB Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 The council have to rehome you if you are homeless most especially when you have children. My hubby works for our local council and has just confirmed this for you. The only down side is that you may have to actually wait until the time that you become homeless in order to receive priority housing. You will be entitled to some free tuition at your local college as you are receiving a means tested benefit. There should be quite a few courses available to you and their resident careers and guidance department will be able to help you find something that suits. There is at the moment a government initiative called the Adult Learner Grant which will fund you additionally if you take one of the courses to which it applies again the career and guidance department will be able to help with this. Good luck to you, I'm sure things will work out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murtle Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 What an awful lot to deal with at once. Don't take on others worries, if your landlady wants the house back she will have to go through the correct process. This isn't the nicest experience to go through as you will effectively be "piggy in the middle" but once this is done, the council will have to start looking to rehouse you. Have you made them are of the reason why you are in the area, I think you have moved there due to Domestic violence in which case they should note this as the reason why you are there. They may ask questions about where you were etc, but they shouldn't use it *against* you, as in you've not been here long enough. You are amongst some of the kindest, most caring people I have ever had the pleasure to *meet* people who can and will help, provide support encouragement and guidance. My only advice, is to try and take one thing at a time, this may be really hard but prioritise and focus attention on one thing otherwise it may become overwhelming you need to be able to feed yourself to keep your strength up! xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKYSIAN Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Lots of fugees in Cheshire I was going to say the same thing. If it comes to it I'll happily take the dogs on foster for you, just to take the pressure off. I'm sure they'll cope fine with my rabble and it will just give you breathing space until you and your kids are sorted. I can't offer any other advise sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemstone Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 The council have to rehome you if you are homeless most especially when you have children. : I used to work in housing and was going to say this too. The problem is that homeless people don't have much choice of location and may not end up inthe nicest of areas I would definately approach the council again now and tell them that you are going to be made homeless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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