Financial support available to single parents

Many people are not aware of all the benefits and support they are able to apply for.  Some are dependent on your financial circumstances and you are only entitled to claim if you are receiving certain benefits.  However a few payments are available to all single parents regardless of your income.

Statutory Sick Pay

This is paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks for a period of sickness lasting four days or more.  Some employers may also pay you occupational sick pay on top of this as part of your contract of employment. You must provide a medical certificate to your employer to get Statutory Sick Pay.

Working Tax Credit

If you claimed Working Tax Credit before being absent from work due to ill health or disability, you can continue to claim it for up to 28 weeks. You may also qualify for an extra amount of money called a disability element when you return to work. If you did not qualify for Working Tax Credit before, you may qualify if your income drops when you are on sick leave. To qualify, you must have worked at least 16 hours a week before your sick leave. 

Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit can be paid if you are on a low income, whether you are working or whether you are claiming benefits. If your income has reduced due to ill health or disability, you may become entitled to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit or you may be paid at a higher rate than you were getting before. Contact your local authority to make a claim.

Help to pay mortgage interest

You may be able to claim help with your mortgage interest if you are receiving: Income Support or Employment and Support Allowance or Jobseeker’s Allowance

You must have been claiming one of these benefits for at least 13 weeks before you can start to receive help with your mortgage interest. When you make your claim for these benefits tell Jobcentre Plus that you also want to claim help with your mortgage interest. They will send you a form to fill in and take to your mortgage lender, who will complete it and send it back to Jobcentre Plus. 

Other benefits you could claim

If you claim income support you may also be able to claim the following benefits. Some of these benefits are also available to single parents who are not on income support.

Child benefit: 

If you have a child under 16, or under 20 if they are in full time non-advanced education (e.g. sixth form or further education college) or on approved training.

Child tax credit: 

If you get income support you should receive the maximum amount of child tax credit, the actual amount depends on how many children you are responsible for. If you used to claim tax credits as a couple tell HMRC about your change in circumstances straight away.

Help with your mortgage:

If you have a mortgage an amount can be added to your income support to help pay the interest. This can include help towards ground rent, some service charges and interest on loans for essential home improvements. You usually have to wait 13 weeks before these payments can start but the rules are complicated.

Help with rent:

You can apply for housing benefit to help with the cost of your rent at the same time as applying for income support or you can make a claim directly to your local council. Housing benefit is available if you live in private rented, local authority or housing association accommodation.

Help with council tax: 

If you are the only adult in your home that has to pay council tax, you qualify for a 25 per cent discount on the bill. If you get income support you should also get council tax benefit to help with the rest of the bill. Apply at your local council or at the same time as claiming income support.

Extra help with rent and council tax:

If you get housing benefit or council tax benefit but need extra financial help to pay the bill, you can ask your local council for a top-up payment. This is called a discretionary housing payment. You do not have an automatic right to these payments; it is up to your local council to decide. If you can, get advice before you apply.

Prescriptions and health costs: 

If you get income support, you can get free prescriptions, dental treatment, sight tests, glasses, fares to hospital, wigs and fabric supports. You can also get free help if you claim child tax credit and your income is under a certain limit.

Cold weather payment:

If you get income support and have a child under five, or you get the disability or severe disability element of child tax credit, you should automatically receive a cold weather payment. These are paid in periods of very cold weather as defined by the government.

Free school meals:

If you get income support or child tax credit but not working tax credit and have a household income below a certain limit. Some income, such as child maintenance, is not counted.

School uniforms: 

It is up to your local council what, if any, help they give with the cost of school uniforms. Contact the education department at your local council.

Funeral expenses:

If you are arranging a funeral you may qualify for a payment to help with the cost. The money may have to be paid back from the deceased’s estate if possible.

For more information about these benefits, go to the Directgov website.