A SINGLE dad and his eight-year-old son were left without money over Christmas and New Year because of a social security mix-up.

Patrick Boyle of Scotland Bank Terrace, Blackburn, was left waiting for payment for five weeks when his Income Support was stopped because of a mistake with his Child Benefits payments.

He was so desperate for money over Christmas that, he said, he had to sell a microwave oven, a dining table and a single bed to get money to buy food for him and his son, Patrick Michael.

Patrick explained: "I have looked after my son for nearly a year since I split up with my ex-wife.

"I was getting benefits for both of us of £72 a week and everything was fine.

"Then, in July, I moved from the flat we were in to our current address and that's when the problems started.

"Apparently, the Benefits Agency had been contacting us because we were on the wrong benefit - I should have been getting Child Benefit as well. "But I never found out because the letters were sent to my old address, so they sent the books to my wife who claimed the money.

"When all this came to light, I was told I wasn't entitled to my Income Support because that covered me for Patrick as well, so I was dropped from £72 a week to £74 a fortnight.

"Then they said I wasn't even entitled to that because I am not classed as unemployed or sick.

"I was left completely in limbo not knowing when I would get any money - I had to rely on friends for hand-outs and food.

"Nobody seemed to care that I had my son to feed and keep warm.

A spokeswoman for the Benefits Agency in Blackburn said: "If Income Support is being paid for a child and Child Benefit is not being paid, Income Support cannot be paid to the adult who is supporting the child.

"When Income Support is withdrawn for the child, the Family Premium and Lone Parent payments also have to be stopped until the situation is resolved.

"But in cases where children are involved we make every effort to solve the problem as quickly as possible."

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