Benefits emergency help needed?

Question

Due to physical and mental abuse, my 3 young daughters have been removed from my ex and placed with myself.

Both my partner and myself are disabled, so we get very little money anyhow and now for the past 3 weeks we have had to try to feed and clothe the kids on what little we are supposed to live on and to be honest, we're struggling. We had a crisis loan to get them some clothes and shoes and all the holiday money we saved has gone on feeding them. We were due to take them on their first ever holiday next week but now that looks like it's out of the window. We have claimed all the benefits we are entitled to, but it takes at least 3-4 weeks to even consider it. Meanwhile I still have to pay CSA to her! I was also told she has to sign to say the children are with me, which even social services know she wont do it out of spite. We are really stuffed and running out of ideas fast. We were told social services could help, but I doubt it after they called me yesterday asking me for money so that my ex could take the kids to McDonald's for supervised contact! Anyone got any ideas of any emergency help we can get to feed the kids until the benefit system sort their selves out?

Many thanks.

Answer 1

I think you should contact the Citizens' Advice Bureau, they are often over-subscribed in some regions and you may have to wait for a bit but you will get better advice there than you will on an internet forum.

For a start though, as far as I know, if you and your partner are on benefits and have no earned income you are only liable for a very minimal amount of CSA to your ex-partner, so this needs to be changed.

This sounds quite a complex situation and you really need professional advice about it as soon as possible.

Answer 2

for a start ring child benefit its a newcastle number tell them you have the children date you got them tell them their mother is unapproachable they will get in touch with her and ask if she has the children if she says yes she is breaking the law it wont look good for her,you need to b e getting child benefit for these children before you are able to get any benefits for the children .