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For single-parent families in Lincoln, life can often be tough and lonely – particularly if you don’t know what support is available to you. In this article, we’re providing a guide to the help that is available right now for single-parent families in Lincoln.
For a single parent, life can be one long juggling act and you can often find yourself feeling overwhelmed, particularly if you don’t even know where to begin to find support. Solicitors in Lincoln can help ensure single parents receive financial support from ex-spouses, but there are many organisations in the area that can also help.
In this article, we’re sharing our advice on the support available for single-parent families in Lincoln.
In the UK, there are around three million single-parent families, many of whom are not receiving enough support simply because they don’t know what’s available to them. In this section, we’ll be taking you through the different kinds of support that you may be eligible for in 2023.
As a single parent, you may be working or looking for work and so reliable childcare is essential – but it doesn’t come cheap. Support is available to single-parent families in the form of free or tax-free childcare.
All parents in the UK are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare per week for three and four year old’s and, if you are a single parent and work at least 16 hours per week at minimum wage, you may be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare per week.
For single parents on low wages, this extra childcare support can be a lifesaver which allows them to continue to develop their careers while taking care of their children.
The UK is currently experiencing an unprecedented cost of living crisis which is making life difficult for many people, especially single parents.
For those who are struggling to meet financial responsibilities such as energy bills, help may be available from Gingerbread’s Turn2Us scheme which offers grants to single parents to enable them to cover the cost of purchases such as school uniforms and bill payments.
Making the transition from a couple to a single parent can be scary and can leave many people feeling lonely and isolated. The Lincoln Single Parents Group has been created in order to connect lone parents in Lincoln not just online but in real life too.
Members of the group offer support and advice online as well as organising real-life events such as meetups and outings which offer single parents the opportunity to make new friends and develop new social networks for themselves and their children. For more information, take a look at the group or email Valerie Jones at [email protected].
Becoming a single parent can be overwhelming and disorienting and this is amplified to a huge extent for those who become lone parents through widowhood. Adapting to life as a single parent while also grieving is something that nobody should ever go through alone and the Widowed In Need Lincoln group offers help and support as well as connections with those who are going through or have gone through a similar experience.
When we think of single parents, we usually picture a mother, however, over 200,000 fathers in the UK are raising their children alone – a number which grows steadily every year. While women tend to be more predisposed to seek help as a single-parent, a significant number of men suffer in silence, leading to isolation and the development of mental health problems.
Dad’s House is a charitable organisation which was founded in 2008 to provide practical and emotional support to single fathers. As well as online connections, the organisation provides real-life connections nationwide to help single fathers combat loneliness and isolation as they adapt to their new role.
In this article, we’ve mentioned single mothers and also single fathers but, that’s not quite the full story. As we are increasingly aware, many people do not slot neatly into traditional parenting categories and that includes the LGBTQ community.
With a commitment to inclusivity, Gingerbread offers resources to members of the LGBTQ community who may struggle to find support elsewhere. As well as legal and practical advice, Gingerbread connects like-minded people from across Lincoln and the rest of the country to ensure that nobody is left behind.
As a single parent, life can be a series of frustrations and problems to solve; many of which can make you feel like you’re missing out on the simple joys that parenthood can bring. It can also be extremely isolating in that it limits your opportunities for making friends and enjoying some adult company.
Thankfully, in 2022, there are a number of resources available to support you on your single-parent journey, no matter what your circumstances. As well as the resources mentioned in this article, it’s worth checking out the notice boards at your local library or community centre to see if there are any local groups that you can join.
As well as emotional support, it’s important that you do your research to make sure that you are aware of any financial and practical support that you are entitled to, such as childcare, as this information isn’t always willingly made available.
Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained legal professional. Be sure to consult a lawyer/solicitor if you’re seeking advice on support for single parents. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
Contact: [email protected]
