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To quit or not to quit?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
My family are on Social Security benefits and we do not own our own house. We get out rent paid for. My mum and dad do odd jobs on the side, but they are not registered as working. My mum is registered as a 'carer' for my sister who has ADHD. My dad is registered as having back problems etc.
However, I have had a part-time job for nearly a year now. I work 20 hours a week, and I also attend sixthform. I am 17 but I will be 18 in a few weeks.
We have recently been sent a later (because I am turning 18 soon) from the City Council, asking whether I am still living at home/do I have a job/am I in full-time education, to make sure that we're getting the benefits that we are entitled to.
The Social Security do not know that I have a job and my mum is now telling me to quit, to protect us, and she said even if I quit and then re-apply and start working again, I'll have to pay some of the rent on our house, as I will be the only working adult in our household. She is talking over £60 a week and I only earn around £100, sometimes less. She is saying if I do not hand in my notice soon, she will kick me out of the house. I do not want to quit! I need the money and have a lot of friends where I work. Please help?
However, I have had a part-time job for nearly a year now. I work 20 hours a week, and I also attend sixthform. I am 17 but I will be 18 in a few weeks.
We have recently been sent a later (because I am turning 18 soon) from the City Council, asking whether I am still living at home/do I have a job/am I in full-time education, to make sure that we're getting the benefits that we are entitled to.
The Social Security do not know that I have a job and my mum is now telling me to quit, to protect us, and she said even if I quit and then re-apply and start working again, I'll have to pay some of the rent on our house, as I will be the only working adult in our household. She is talking over £60 a week and I only earn around £100, sometimes less. She is saying if I do not hand in my notice soon, she will kick me out of the house. I do not want to quit! I need the money and have a lot of friends where I work. Please help?
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Comments
Do you have any plans for when you finish college? If you want to work full time you'll have to keep this job, but if you want to go to uni you might finding quitting and using the time to revise helpful. If you do have to quit, keep in touch with your friends from work to increase your chances of getting your job back in the future.
Totally unrelated to her question, inappropriate comment. Those of us who have been well brought up were taught that if we have nothing good to say, it is best to say nothing at all.
Lyric is obviously in a difficult situation at home, and a difficult time of her life, and you aren't helping.
From the sounds of it, it's quite a complicated dilema where she is experiencing divided loyalties towards herself and her self-worth and progression, her famiy, and citizenship issues. It's more complicated than 'ooh look, attempting to cheat the benefits system' and if you can't see that then perhaps you aren't as emotionally intelligent as you think you are.
Can you not also see that advice for her to find a way to keep her job but not become homeless and not alienate her family might allow her to develop the sense of self that she needs to not feel terrible about her breasts and not have a baby that she's not ready to have? Having a dig doesn't help!
So your condoning benifit fraud? You do realise with your parents doing "odd" jobs they are commiting fraud as well.
Also regardless of whether your working or not, once you turn 18 and YOUR not in full time education she will lose a lot of benifits.
But at 18 her parents aren't responsible for housing her.
I am not trying to cheat the benefit system! This is not my mess; this is my parents'. I just need a way out. I wish they just had legit jobs, if I'm honest! I do not want to live a life of crime like them.
I don't think saying I've moved out on the form would be a good idea, as they would want to know a lot of details.
If she wants to continue living there it's clear her mum expects her to pay her own way to cover some of the rent. £60 a week isn't entirely unreasonable. Telling her that as an adult she needs to quit paid "legit" work otherwise they'll lose their benefits and the house, again isn't entirely unreasonable. Or am I missing something?
I'm not condoning benefit fraud. If you'd have read my whole post you would see that in some cases your expected to pay more towards rent than you're actually in earning. Therefore paying rent is not an option, unless people on benefits aren't really human and are just making up the need to eat just to get attention. If Lyric can afford to pay the amount expected that's a different thing. It does sound like the benefits of working outweigh the potential problems.
The council don't ask questions if you say you've moved to an area they're not responsible for, but maybe you could point out to your mum that, as it tends to be the whole family that cheats the system, the fact that you have a job suggests that they are really in need of the help.
Sorry but I take a direct quote from you
Here you have said she should lie to the council and say she has moved out when she hasn't, just because the council do not "check" on things, now this quote is CLEARLY you condoning or suggesting her and her family to commit fraud.
Lyric, I am glad your wanting to do this without lying to the council
I want to ask you a question but please do not take offence, do you believe/feel your parents are cheating the benefit system. i mean and feel free not to answer, but why does your dad not work, i mean if your mum is a carer fair enough, but your dad?
Unfortunately it will be a case of, if you work you're parents will lose benefits and have to pay rent etc, now if that is because of you working, why should they have to pay and not you? my twin is going through something similar, hes finishing uni and it is a case of.
He works my mum loses free rent (she is disabled)
He's out of work she doesn't but he can't earn anything
He can move out, it'll cost more but my mum will keep her free rent
now from the looks of it you have three options from where im sitting.
1 - Work and pay rent, if on benefits your parents can't cover the costs. however you could demand your dad should work (depending on why he is unemployed
2 - Quit your job and not work, your parents shouldn't lose too many benefits if any.
3 - Move out, they wont be responsible and lose any benefits.
Just to state, if you choose to lie about
- Living with your parents (eg tell DWP you've moved out when you haven't)
- Stop working, then reapply, get a new job but do not tell the council you are working or just outright lie about your working status
YOU are committing fraud.
I wish you the best of luck with this
Morally, yes. Financially, no. And just because it's "wrong" doesn't mean it wont happen.
It sounds like a fairly classic poverty trap.
However if the parents "can not work" and are on benefits legitimately, even morally how can they allow the daughter to work, while they lose benefits and have to pay rent,
surly if she is earning and they are losing, she should have to make up what they lose, as it is her working causing them to lose benefits.
Yes Hellfire, that's what a poverty trap is.
When she hits 18, they will be losing the child benefit (unless she stays in full time education) and the housing allowance (unless she stops earning)
If her work doesn't bring in enough to cover the rent, it looks like it's low enough that she will be eligible for income support, and consequently housing allowance - but it'll take time to process, and in the meantime the rent still has to be paid.
On the other hand, the OP has access to enough spare income for 2500/year on elective treatment, so money isn't as tight as it might be.
Yeah this is near enough whats happening with my mum and brother,
And the reason my mum wants me to quit my job is because she hasn't declared it to the Social Sercurity for all the time I've been working. If I don't quit and they find out through my tax code that I am working and have been doing so for the past year, my mum will be fined or taken to court.
Too damn right, your mum is claiming fraudulent benefits, it is illegal.
I think you have all the options, you need to decide what to do, and pretty soon.
What do you suggest I do?
Hmmm it is a hard thing, I mean do you have anywhere to go if you did leave? I know it isn't the best option,
I understand and appreciate it isn't your fault and you've done nothing wrong, I believe your mum is putting you in a inappropriate position, but what is she suppose to do? she cannot afford to pay it, have you thought about getting a fulltime job?
You can search for the nearest on the following link -
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/cabdir.ihtml
They should be able to explain exactly where you stand legally and hopefully help you deal with whatever you decide to do. It certainly sounds like your being put in a very difficult position by your parents, but it may not be as bad as it looks - they'll be able to make sure everything is clear.
Whilst getting involved in a housing argument with your parent's would be really rough you might also want to speak to Shelter, who can offer you expert advice on housing. You can call them on 0808 800 4444
To be fair, I don't think quitting sixth form because of how a family member is abusing benefits is really going to be the best option. It'd be throwing away a lot of options for the future.
Sorry, I didn't realise she is in fulltime education, Well I prob did but didn't take note. so yes, definitely not an option.
I do think your mum is being unfair, she is only looking out for number 1,
Legally I do not think you have much of a case for anything, i mean lets look at the facts
Mum - on Benefits
Dad - on Benefits,
You (almost an adult) working part time, not your house.
Basically your parents have every legal right to throw you out. regardless of the reasons there is no legal right for you to stay there however I am not sure if they have to give you reasonable notice (like with a tenant etc) something you might want to look into.
Unfortunately with the benefits, there is nothing you can do here, the Department of Work and pensions will usually cut benefits if someone is in work.
can you name what benefits they are on though?
Income support?
DLA?
Carers allowance?
Job Seekers Allowance,
Housing Benefits?
as some of these others can earn on, others you can't. Housing benefit seems the big one, obviously they are on this and yes if someone in the house is working and NOT in full time education you lose this.
however are you planning on going to university or any other full time education once you finish sixth form? I know my brother can earn some money atm and my mum still gets her rent paid/free however she is on
DLA
Income Support
Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit.
I've been trying to clarify this but everything I can find says as they are an adult, the parents have no legal responsibility to care for them any more,
but of course she should definitely look into it.
"5.1 Non-dependant deductions
Your housing benefit will be affected if you have a non-dependant living with you.
A non-dependant is someone who is over 18 who is not your partner or a:
* joint owner-occupier
* a tenant
* boarder
* lodger
* sub-tenant
* paid carer provided by a charity or voluntary organisation
Any adult son or daughter is considered to be a non-dependant.
A deduction is made to your maximum Housing Benefit for each non-dependant who lives with you. The amount of any deduction depends on the non-dependant's income. If they are under 25 and on income support, income related employment and support allowance, income-based job seeker's allowance (JSA), or if they are a full-time student, then no deduction is made.
"Non-dependant deductions are not made if you or your partner is registered blind or receives the DLA care component or Attendance Allowance. "
from http://www.disabilityalliance.org/f44.htm
Phone Shelter RIGHT NOW and/or make an appointment to see the CAB tomorrow.
Don't take what the council tell you as true until you have seen a qualified benefits advisor as the council often get rules about Housing Benefit wrong.
You need to act quickly to get this sorted. Do not drag your heels. Find out whether your mum is on those benefits or not.