Money advice needed

[shirlls]

I am seeing someone from the Citizens Advice Bureau tomorrow but I was wondering if anyone on here can help.

I live in Scotland and have a LO who is 21 months and have twins due in November. I am working 2 days a week at the moment and my husband works full time, and earns £14,500 per year. We rent from a private landlord who has stated in the contract no DSS. When the twins arrive I will have to stop working as we can't afford child care for 3 children and at the moment my parents who are in their 70s do one of the days but can't do it for much longer due to health issues.

I don't plan to sit on benefits in the long term, I do want to work and plan to once the twins are settled in, however it would just be good to know what I can get just now.

I get child tax credits, and child benefit, according to last years income we are not eligible for working tax credits. Does anyone know what else we might be entitled to? Also, re housing benefit, if we are entitled would it be paid directly to us so the landlord may not need to know, or does it go directly to the landlord?

Sorry for the thousand questions! Any help would be welcome! x

 

[special_kala]

It may be differejt in scotland but in the UK you can just get housing benefit paid to you directly.

 

[sue_88]

As above, housing benefit gets paid directly to you. That's the new way they're doing it to teach some select few to actually budget their money and not piss it all away.

So landlord need never know.

Have a look at he govt website called entitled to, and put all your details in. It's a benefits calculator.

 

[sequeena]

You may also get healthy start vouchers to help with the cost of fruit, veg and milk. Formula too possibly I'm not sure we never had them x

ETA: That's if Scotland have Healthy Start.

 

[cherrylips100]

I think when landlords state no 'dss', I think they mean dss exclusively. As your partner will still be working, I don't think you have anything to worry about.
Have you applied for a maternity grant? It's a one off payment of £500 or £1000 of you're having twins. It's means tested and I think you might *just* be within the bracket.