Raising a kid alone is hard enough for most people but knowing where you can turn to for support could help alleviate the anxiety and stress of single parenting. As of 2020, there were an estimated 2.9 million single parent families in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics. If you are parenting your child alone, you should know some of the benefits you can claim from the government. Here are three of them as sourced from an article in Metro.co.uk:
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Child benefit
If you have a child under 16 years, you can claim child benefits from the government in the amount of £21.15 per week for your eldest child and £14 for other children per week. These monies are paid every four weeks unless you request a weekly payment. You should know that if you earn above £50,000 a year, you will be liable to pay taxes on these claims. Visit the government website to learn more about child benefits.
Universal credit
You may be eligible for this single monthly payment if you are above 18, on a low income or employed and have £16,000 or less in savings as a UK resident, according to Metro News. Young people (16 or 17-year-olds) who are responsible for a child, are about to or have just given birth and do not have parental support could benefit from this. Remember, you cannot claim this benefit on more than two children except under certain circumstances which are outline here.
Council tax reduction
Single parents could be eligible for a discount on their income tax. To know if you qualify for this intervention, check out the government’s council tax website for the criteria on accessing the tax discounts.
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