Your Learning, Work & Benefits stuff

Transcription

1 Your Learning, Work & Benefits stuff section 4 Stuff 4 : page 1

2 Work Stuff When you start looking for work, you can earn your own money and get invaluable work experience. Here are some things you can do and places you can look: Employment Websites Careers Centres Daily Papers Employment Agencies Job Centre Plus Send Off Letters Ask friends and family Check Shop Advertisements Anything Else you can think of? Quiz Time Again! Please complete/tick a box 1. Who is your Careers Scotland Key Worker or Adviser? 2. What papers do you look in for work? 3. Do you know of any employment agencies? Yes No 4. What kind of work would you like to look for and why? 5. Have you made up a copy of your C.V.? Yes No This is a useful thing to send off to companies that you are interested in working for. It lists your personal details, work experience and qualifications. An example is printed on page 5. Stuff 4 : page 2

3 Learning and work Think about how these things relate to learning and work. What do you know about? What is going well? What are you concerned about? Is there any kind of support you may need? What do you do or what did you do? What do / did you enjoy most? Training School / Studying Future Plans Work (or looking for work) Qualifications and Certificates Skills and experience a). Have you had the chance to think about your skills? b). How would you describe them? Yes No c). Which ones would be useful in future learning or work? Is your timekeeping good Yes No Do you have suitable clothing for work / interviews Is there transport nearby for when you travel to work or college? Stuff 4 : page 3

4 Thinking about the future We never stop learning new things but it is important to recognise what you have learned and how this can help you. No matter what you are doing just now, you may also have ideas about what you want to be doing in the future. This helps you to identify what you could be doing and how you will go about getting there. What are you doing at the moment? Have you already thought about what you would like to be doing in the future? Yes No What ideas or thoughts do you have about what you would like to be doing in the future? eg: types of courses / qualifications / jobs / training Do you know who you can talk to about your future plans? Yes No Stuff 4 : page 4

5 Curriculum Vitae I would like to be considered for employment with your organisation. My personal details, work experience and qualifications are as follows: My Name: Date of birth: / / Age: Address Post Code Tel No: Mobile: N.I. Number Education / Qualifications Work Experience: Hobbies / Interests My Referees are: 1 2 Stuff 4 : page 5

6 Employment Stuff Ten good reasons why it s good to work! 1. You get paid 2. You can buy new clothes 3. You make new friends 4. You can go on nights out - with your new friends! 5. You can afford that night out 6. Your less lonely and bored during the day 7. You ll learn new skills 8. You ll become more confident 9. You can afford a holiday with your new friends! 10. You ll become independent Applying for work When looking or applying for work, training or college it is vital to make a good impression so that you can persuade the employer, trainer or college that you are the person for the vacancy. There are a variety of ways to look and apply for vacancies. You can apply in person by turning up to where you know there is a vacancy. This shows that you are keen and interested. Usually, you will be given an appointment to come back at a later date. You can apply over the phone. You can apply in writing either by writing a letter or by completing an application form. It is important to prepare and plan the best way to go about applying for a vacancy. Stuff 4 : page 6

7 1 When applying in person or attending an interview, it is a good idea to: PLAN IN ADVANCE what you are going to wear, how are you going to get there, think about what you are going to say and how you are going to sell yourself. Dress smartly and make sure you are clean and tidy. Be on time if you have an appointment. Make a good first impression by being polite and friendly (a smile and handshake goes a long way). Look interested and enthusiastic about the vacancy. Answer questions clearly. Bring along any relevant information like letters of appointment, qualifications or exam results, a list of questions you ask and your C.V. ** ** Your C.V. is a useful thing to have. C.V. is short for Curriculum Vitae and means the story of you life. It lists basic information about you, your education, qualifications, your experience and past jobs, and any interests you may have. Its purpose is to get you an interview by selling yourself and gives you the opportunity to include all the positive things about yourself that will make you perfect for the vacancy. If you do not have a C.V. think abut creating one. Speak to your Careers Adviser or Employment Adviser about helping you to create one. 2 When applying for a vacancy over the phone it is a good idea to: PLAN IN ADVANCE who you need to speak to, the information you need to know, and the questions you will want to ask. Make sure you are clear about the reason for the call. Try to talk slowly and clearly, have a copy of you C.V. handy as this may help answer some questions. Be polite and friendly and be interested and enthusiastic about the vacancy. Keep a pen and paper handy to make notes. Remember to thank the person at the end of the call. If you do not manage to speak to the appropriate person, DON T WORRY but make sure you leave a message and find out when they will be available again. DON T GIVE UP. Stuff 4 : page 7

8 3 When applying for a job in writing it is a good idea to: PLAN IN ADVANCE whether to write in your own handwriting or type it with a typewriter or PC (if you are able it is useful to do a bit of both). Have a practice run first, so if you make mistakes you can correct them for the final copy. Keep the letter or application form neat and tidy, and check it for spelling mistakes. Remember to sign your name in your own handwriting and date the letter or application form. Ask someone else to check over your practice copy and listen to suggestions, and ask them to check over your final copy before you send it. Include a copy of your C.V. unless it is not required. If it is an application form answer all the questions that apply to you. In most application forms there is a space provided for you to include information about your special skills and interests. This is your opportunity to sell yourself and make an impression that you are the right person for that vacancy. Think what sort of person they are looking for (clues will be given to you in the information you have about the vacancy). Write down your positive qualities, why you want the vacancy and what you can offer it. Remember that it is OK to feel nervous and unsure, everyone else feels this way in the same situation. If all goes to plan you will be successful in getting a job, training or college placement. CONGRATULATIONS. If you are not successful, DON T WORRY. You may have to go through a few interviews before you get what you want. The important thing is not to give up but keep trying. Stuff 4 : page 8

9 Starting Work, Training or College Once again CONGRATULATIONS. Now you are ready to start, what do you need to think about? If you have been signing on you should let them know. You should also let anyone else know who has been helping you (your Pathway Coordinator, Careers/Employment Adviser/ Keyworker). You may need to give your National Insurance number or P45 to your employer when you start. If you do not have these, please ask for help to get these. If you have any commitments that may clash with your job, training or college it is important to inform them. If you are sick or cannot attend your job, training, college for any reason you should let your employer, trainer or college know as soon as possible, and let them know when you can return. Three final things to remember in your new job, training or college: 1 Arrive on time, and leave on time (bad timekeeping could lead to you losing money, or even your job, training or college). 2 Be polite and friendly to work mates, your boss/tutor, and the public, when dealing with them. 3 Be interested and enthusiastic about what you are doing (even if you don t like it). If you are not happy in your job, training or college please speak to your boss/tutor about it. If you don t feel confident about doing this, ask for help from your Pathway Coordinator, or Careers/Employment Adviser. Think CAREFULLY about leaving your job, training or college before doing so. If you quit or are sacked you will lose your wages/bursary and you may not be entitled to benefits ( the buroo ). Stuff 4 : page 9

10 Employment Your Rights at Work When you start work you should be given a contract of employment. This details work location, job description, pay and conditions. There are different types of contract for temporary, permanent and sessional jobs. You should receive a weekly/monthly pay slip. If you are off sick, you have rights, but must tell your employer if you are going to be off sick and if longer than 7 days you have to provide a sick line. You must let your boss know at least a week in advance if you are leaving, also you usually have to give notice of when you want to take holidays. Can you think of any other rights you have in the workplace? When working you have a right to be treated equally and not be discriminated against. If you have any problems at work, speak to your supervisor or trade union representative. You could contact Citizens Advice. Remember that if you quit your job without good reason, or are sacked for bad conduct, you can be refused benefit for 26 weeks. Ever thought about Voluntary Work? Good bits about it are: a) you learn new skills b) you improve your job prospects c) you meet new people d) you increase your confidence If you are on benefit your payment will not be affected as long as you are not working more than 16 hours. Also you must still be looking for work and willing to give up your voluntary work if a job becomes available and you can only claim travelling expenses. Stuff 4 : page 10

11 Money Stuff If you leave care before you are eighteen years old, Social Work are responsible for providing you with money. They can assist if you are unemployed, in an agreed activity such as attending literacy/numeracy classes or voluntary work, attending a training course or in further education or in low paid employment. Your Pathway Coordinator will advise you about the different rates of payment you can get and let you know how your payments will be made. You need to keep in contact with your Pathway Coordinator to ensure that your financial support, as well as other support, continues. If you go missing your payments may be suspended. If however you are or become a parent, or you are entitled to disability benefits (or you left Care before 1st April 2004) the DWP will take over responsibility for providing you with financial assistance. To receive financial assistance the following should be arranged before leaving care: Birth Certificate Bank Account National Insurance Number Your Pathway Coordinator will give you more advice. DWP Information DWP is the Department of Work and Pensions, which used to be known as the DSS (the buroo). The DWP (Jobcentre Plus) helps people of working age to find work and get any benefits they are entitled to. Stuff 4 : page 11

12 Jobseekers Allowance 1 If you are 18 or over you do not need to register with Careers Scotland. However, you need to go to the Job Centre and make an appointment to register with them. They will give you a JSA 1 and a ES9 form. These need to be filled out before the appointment that they give you. The appointment is likely to be within 7 days (this may vary). 2 When you go to the Job Centre you will be interviewed by two people. The first person will be from the Job Centre and they will draw up what is called a Job Seekers Agreement with you. This will be based on the information you have given them in the forms. It is very important that you think carefully about what you say you will do to try and get work. For example, if you promise to visit the Job Centre everyday and don t manage to do that it can lead to some of your money being cut. Honest! Be realistic about what you state in your Job Seekers Agreement. They insist that you keep to it and ask you to fill out a Job Seekers Diary, stating all the things that you have done to look for work in the last two weeks. They check this diary when you sign on. Make sure you are not persuaded to state things that you won t manage. If you think you will find this hard ask your Pathway Coordinator to go to your appointment with you. At this point in the interview you will be issued with a signing on date and time. Signing on involves attending the Job Centre on the date and time on your signing on card. It is likely that you will be asked what you have done to look for work as mentioned earlier. It is essential that you remember to sign on when required (normally every two weeks) otherwise your payment may be delayed or even stopped. If you cannot attend perhaps due to being on holiday, being ill or at Court, you must notify the Job Centre as soon as possible and provide them with proof of this. Stuff 4 : page 12

13 3 After being interviewed by the Job Centre staff you will have another interview from the Benefits Agency. This is to find out whether you are facing severe hardship. This means that you are not able to rely on any family or friends to provide you with enough money to buy food or to pay your rent and bills. They will ask some questions, some of them you may find quite personal. For example they may ask if you have been in care and for how long. If you want one, you are entitled to a private room for this interview, and again your Pathway Coordinator can be there to assist you. Training Allowance Youth Training or Modern Apprenticeships are training courses offered to under 18 s. These courses provide you with training and skills for work of your choice and can provide you with a recognised qualification. The Careers Scotland staff will be able to give you more information but most courses offer weekly payment which is higher than JSA and should cover your travel expenses. If you lose a Training Placement, a Modern Apprenticeship or a job but are willing to accept an alternative Training Placement you are entitled to an allowance for a limited period. This is money paid to you for up to 8 weeks. To get this allowance you must register at your careers centre that you are available for a Training Placement. They will give you a form BA1 which you must take to Jobcentre Plus as they pay out this allowance. If you want to change your Training Placement, do not leave, talk to your Trainer, Career Adviser or your Pathway Coordinator as they may be able to get you onto a more suitable course without your training allowance stopping. Stuff 4 : page 13

14 Benefits What will happen if I don t keep to my Job Seekers Agreement? If you don t keep to your agreement e.g. by not attending Careers Scotland or the Jobcentre Plus appointments as often as required, your benefits can be stopped (sanctioned) for 2~4 weeks. They can also be stopped (sanctioned) if you refuse to attend a Training Placement or if you give one up without a good reason. However if your benefits are stopped (sanctioned) you can apply for a Hardship Payment (this is not the same as Severe Hardship). This payment will be less than your benefits and the amount will vary depending on your circumstances. Hardship payments will not be given out for the first two weeks in most cases but you will receive a payment if; you are responsible for a child you are pregnant you are suffering from a serious illness or disability you are under 18 JSA (Job Seekers Allowance) is sometimes called a passport benefit. This means that if you get JSA you are also entitled to have your rent and council tax paid. (See the next section for more exciting forms to fill out!). If your benefits have been temporarily stopped these WILL continue to be paid for you. If you feel the Employment Officers have been hard on you by stopping your money you can ask for a review of any decision made by them and another person called an Adjudication Officer will consider it again for you. Stuff 4 : page 14

15 Can I work or go to college and still claim JSA? Yes, but you can only work or study up to 16 hours a week without losing JSA. When you are working and getting a wage this is also taken into consideration when working out how much JSA you get, so if you do work or study for up to 16 hours you may get less JSA. You must inform the Jobcentre Plus of any work or study you are doing. If you start a full time job and stop signing on it is really important that you don t leave this job before finding another one to go to. This is because your benefits can be suspended for up to 6 months if you leave a job without a good reason. Imagine how hard it would be trying to manage without money for 6 months. If you are sacked you may also lose benefits for up to 6 months. If this happens to you ask for advice from your Pathway Coordinator. Why bother, it all sounds like a lot hassle? Initially signing on can be a bit of a chore but once you have registered and filled out all the forms it should be quite straightforward from then on. Stuff 4 : page 15

16 Benefits Ten reasons to claim JSA 1 Regular money you can live on 2 Rent can be paid for you 3 Council tax can also be paid 4 Free dental treatment 5 Help with optician costs 6 Free prescriptions 7 Fares to hospital and court 8 Access to community care grants (where applicable) 9 Access to cold weather payments (where applicable) 10 Free school meals, milk tokens and clothing grants (if you have children) Stuff 4 : page 16

17 Housing Benefits When you are given your Job Seekers Claim Pack this should include forms to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. (See Below) Housing Benefit is paid by the Local Authority for people who need help to pay their accommodation costs. In some circumstances Social Work Services may pay accommodation costs. Whilst you are receiving JSA you will also get the maximum Housing Benefit, this means you could have all your rent paid for you. It is possible to get Housing Benefit and get some of your rent paid when you are employed if you can show that your income is low. Once again you have a form to fill in, to work out how much of an income you have and if you have any disabilities, health problems or any children living with you. It is important that you give as much accurate information about yourself as possible. The information you give is used to work out how much housing benefit you can get. One of the most important things to remember is that if you have other people living with you who do not depend on you to support them your may get less Housing Benefit. This means if you ask a friend to move in with you, you may get less Housing Benefit. If you live with your boy/girlfriend your joint income or situation will be taken into consideration when working out how much Housing Benefit will be paid. Housing Benefit is awarded for an indefinite period, however if things change, for example, you get a new or better paid job or you gain or lose a partner then you must tell Housing Benefit so that they can change the award. There are additional means to pay for accommodation costs. Your Pathway Coordinator will be able to give you more advice and information on accommodation costs. Stuff 4 : page 17

18 Council Tax Benefits Council Tax is the Council s charge to every household to pay for the services they provide. Council Tax Benefit is worked out in a very similar way to Housing Benefit. If you are on a low or no income and receive JSA you are likely to have some or all of your Council Tax paid for you. You are responsible for paying Council Tax when you become 18 years of age. If you live on your own and are working, you are entitled to a single person s discount which means that you do not have to pay the full amount. While you are on a college course you may have your council tax paid for you. It is also possible for you to get both Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit for a month after you have started work or once you increase your hours. This extra help is called an Extended Payment. However, to get this help you have to have been getting benefits for at least 6 months. Stuff 4 : page 18

19 The Social Fund This is a fund that may help you pay for essential items that you cannot afford out of your regular income. The payments listed below are all available from the Social Fund. To be eligible for any of the payments you must be receiving JSA or Income Support. Cold Weather Payment If you are getting JSA and have a child under 5 you may receive assistance with your heating bills. It will be sent to you automatically during a prolonged period of very cold weather. Maternity Payment Please see under Expecting a Baby. Community Care Grant These are available to people receiving JSA (income based) to help with special needs e.g. Maternity clothes Furniture for a new house If someone in the household has an illness or condition which requires additional assistance, for example, bedding, washing facilities etc These are just a few examples and the Community Care Grant (CCG) form SF300 will indicate what type of costs/expenses it would cover. If you want to apply for a CCG, as with the other forms, it is best to get help from your Pathway Coordinator as they may be aware of additional information that could help with your claim. Stuff 4 : page 19

20 Crisis Loan This is a loan to meet your immediate needs in an emergency, e.g. food. However you have to show that without this loan you, or your family s health and safety would be at risk. This loan is to be repaid and will be deducted from your benefits. To get a Crisis Loan you will need to contact the DWP by telephone. You cannot access this loan by presenting yourself at Jobcentre Plus. Budgeting Loan This is a loan to help meet costs for essential items. You have to have been receiving JSA for at least 26 weeks. It is important to remember that this will be deducted from your benefits as you have to repay the amount loaned to you. This can be claimed on form SF 500 If you qualify for a CCG then apply for this before applying for budgeting loan. Free and Reduced Price Milk If you are receiving JSA, pregnant women and children under 5 get free milk and vitamins. If you are getting Family Tax Credit and you have a child under one who is not being breast fed you can buy reduced price baby milk from the maternity clinic. Stuff 4 : page 20

21 Sickness Benefit If you are unable to work because you are ill you may be entitled to a number of benefits. If you are off your work for less than 4 days a self certificate should be enough for your employer. These can be collected from your Doctor s and returned to your employer as soon as possible. If you are unwell and are unable to work, or unable to look for work for more than 4 days, you need to make an appointment with your Doctor and he/she will provide you with a form to hand into Jobcentre Plus or your employer (if you are working). This is called a Med.3 Form or a Sick Line. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) If you are working and become sick you may be entitled to sick pay from your employer for up to 28 weeks. However, it won t necessarily be the same amount of money as your wages as it depends on how long you have been paying National Insurance (NI). NI is an amount of money that is deducted from everyone s wages. This money goes towards paying benefits that you may need in the future, e.g. Sick Pay or a Pension. It is important that you know your work place rules about sickness as each employer may have different rules that you will need to follow. Stuff 4 : page 21

22 Incapacity Benefit Incapacity Benefit is paid at different rates depending on the length of time you are unable to work or look for work. To get Incapacity Benefit you must be off work for 4 or more days in a row, you will need a Doctor s Certificate (sick line) and a SC1 form from the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions). If you have been working and can t get sick pay or if your sick pay has run out you need an SSP1 form. You may be able to receive Incapacity Benefit if your sick pay runs out before the end of the 28 weeks and you have no other source of income. When you receive Incapacity Benefit you do not need to sign on but you must remember to renew your sick line. Give yourself plenty of time to contact your Doctor (you may need to make another appointment) before your sick line runs out. The new sick line must then be handed in to the DWP. If there is a break in your sick lines your money may be affected. Benefits are normally paid into your bank account or a special account at the Post Office. If you are under 20 and unfit for work you can qualify for Incapacity Benefit even if you have never worked. Stuff 4 : page 22

23 Incapacity Test In the first 28 weeks of your sickness the DWP use the sick line you get from the Doctor to work out whether you are able to work, or to carry out your own job. This is called Own Occupation Test. After 28 weeks you will be sent a questionnaire to work out how well you carry out different work related activities. It is possible that you may be examined by one of the Benefit s Agency s own Doctors. This is called an All Work Test. If it is decided that you are not able to work you will no longer have to keep sending in sick lines. If you have certain medical conditions and/or mental health issues there can be special arrangements made which may mean you might not have to do the All Work Test. It is possible for you to do voluntary or therapeutic work whilst you are on Incapacity Benefit. However, you must not work any more than 16 hours per week or get paid for it. If you go into hospital due to illness your benefit may be reduced or stopped. This probably sounds pretty unfair but the DWP do ask that you let them know as your food, shelter, heating etc are being provided by the hospital free of charge. Stuff 4 : page 23

24 Disability Living Allowance (DLA) DLA is a benefit for people who need help with their personal care, help with getting around or both. It does not depend on how much National Insurance you have paid. DLA can be paid in addition to JSA if you qualify. DLA is split into two parts, the care component and the mobility component. 1 The Care Component This is paid to you if you need help with things like washing, dressing, cooking a meal or using the toilet. 2 The Mobility Component This part of DLA is paid to you if you are over 3 years old and you can t walk or have difficulty in walking. This includes if you can walk but need someone to make sure you are safe or to help you find your way around most of the time. To get DLA you must normally have needed help for 3 months and be likely to need it for a further 6 months. The DLA claim pack is available from DWP Tax Credits A claim for tax credit can be made online via the Inland Revenue website or by filling in a Tax Credit Claim Form. Those aged 16 and over who are responsible for a child can claim Child Tax Credits and if working more than 16 hours per week Working Tax Credits as well. While you are pregnant and for the year after your baby is born you are entitled to free NHS Prescriptions and Dental Treatment. Stuff 4 : page 24

25 Expecting a baby Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) If you are working and pregnant you may be able to get SMP from your employer, even if you don t intend returning to work. To get SMP you have to have been in the same job for at least 26 weeks, including the 15th week before your baby is due. This is called the qualifying week. You must also have been earning enough to pay National Insurance. SMP can be paid for up to 26 weeks. The earliest it can start is 11 weeks before your baby is due. However, you can work right up until your baby is born without losing SMP. SMP will start the Sunday following the week you stop work. SMP will probably be paid to you in the same way your wages were paid. Initially you will receive 90% of your average weekly earning. After 6 weeks this will be followed by a flat rate. It is important that you tell your employer that you intend to stop work because of your pregnancy. Give them at least 3 weeks notice and also give them your Maternity Certificate MATB1. (Your Doctor will give you this when you are 21 weeks pregnant.) If you can t get SMP you may be able to get Maternity Allowance Maternity Allowance (MA) If you have recently given up a job or changed jobs you may be able to get MA for up to 26 weeks but you need to have been working for the past 26 weeks of the 66 weeks before the week in which the baby is due. But you can also work right up to the baby s birth and the MA will start the following week. To claim MA you need to fill in form MA1 and send it to the DWP 14 weeks before the baby is due. You also need to send your Maternity Certificate in with this form. It will be returned to you. Stuff 4 : page 25

26 Sick Pay and SMP or MA If you are already off your work and getting Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) this will stop when you change to SMP or MA. If your illness is related to your pregnancy you will start SMP or MA as soon as you become sick or the 6th week before you baby is due, whichever happens first. If your illness is not related to your pregnancy you will get sick pay up to the time you want your SMP or MA to start. Sick pay cannot be paid if you are off work with an illness related to your pregnancy before you are due. Time Off Work If you are working you are entitled to reasonable time off your work to attend appointments, e.g. going to the Doctors, relaxation classes and parent craft classes. However, you need to give your employer notice of these appointments and provide them with confirmation that you are pregnant and that you have appointments to attend. You may or may not be entitled to wages for these appointments. Stuff 4 : page 26

27 Maternity Leave If you are working you are entitled to 26 weeks maternity leave. You can start maternity leave any time between the 11th week before the week the baby is due. However, you need to give your employer 3 weeks notice about when you want to start your leave. If you wish to be off any longer than 26 weeks, you must have had 26 weeks working for the same employer, making it up to 52 weeks off in total. To take the full 52 weeks you need to let your employer know when you are first going to take maternity leave. Basically you can t decide when you are already off that you want to take the full 52 weeks. If you want to change your mind at a later date you need to give your employer 3 weeks notice when you want to return to work. If you are Unemployed and Pregnant? If you are unemployed you will not be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance. However you may be able to get Incapacity Benefit for 6 weeks before the baby is due. Stuff 4 : page 27

28 The Social Fund Maternity Payments If you are unemployed and on JSA you may be able to get a Maternity Payment from the social fund. The payment is to help to pay for things for a new baby. You can apply at anytime from eleven weeks before your baby is due until your baby is three months old. To Claim a maternity payment ask for a form SF100 at the DWP (Jobcentre Plus). This is NOT a loan and does NOT need to be repaid. Maternity Certificate This is a certificate you should get from your Doctor or midwife, 14 weeks before the baby is due, it gives the date that your baby is expected and you need it if you want to claim SMP or MA. If you apply for a Maternity Payment from the Social Fund, you will be asked to bring in the Maternity Certificate but an ante- natal card will do instead. Birth Certificate You must register your baby within three weeks of birth. This means going to the registrar s office which, in Glasgow, is in Martha Street. The Registrar will give you your baby s birth certificate and a form that allows you to apply for your baby s NHS card which you need to register your baby with a Doctor. The birth certificate will also be necessary if you apply for benefits after your baby is born. If you are a lone parent it is important that you think carefully about filling out the parents names on your child s birth certificate and discuss this with your Pathway Coordinator. IF you name the father on the Birth Certificate and you are no longer together they may be contacted by the Child Support Agency. Stuff 4 : page 28

29 Child Benefit This is a weekly benefit paid for each of your children. You will receive this even if you haven t worked before. You should receive a pack to claim Child Benefit through the post. If you don t receive one you can get one from the Inland Revenue. Child Support Maintenance Child Support Maintenance is money that is paid by a parent if he or she does not live with the other parent and the child. The Child Support Agency (CSA) is making sure both parents pay towards looking after their child if one of the parents lives elsewhere. If you get JSA, Family Credit or Disability Working Allowance you HAVE to apply for Child Support maintenance if the CSA ask you too. This means you must fill out a form giving the name and address of the father or mother of your child if you are no longer together. The CSA will contact them on your behalf and make sure they pay towards looking after the child. However, this extra income may lead to a reduction in your benefits. If you don t fill out the forms that the CSA give you may have your benefits stopped. If you are contacted by the Child Support Agency at any point discuss this with your Pathway Coordinator as soon as you can. This is because some parents do not want any further contact with the other parent especially if it would involve them knowing where you are now staying. Stuff 4 : page 29

30 Working Family Tax Credit (FC) This is a benefit available for people who have dependent children and who are working. To get FC you need to have at least one child under 16. You or your partner must be working at least 16 hours a week. Again the amount of money you receive depends on your circumstances e.g. how many children you have, how much you earn, how much your child care costs are and any savings you may have. However, you get the same whether you are a one parent or two parent family. Check your Child Benefit order book and you will find on the second page a personalised message, telling you how much money your family can earn and still get FC. Family Credit is another passport benefit, which means, like JSA, you can also get help with other costs: 1. Rent 2. Prescriptions / Dental Treatment etc. 3. Council Tax 4. Payments from the Social Fund e.g. Maternity Payments Stuff 4 : page 30