- seek professional advice from MABS.
If I may just quickly clarify, MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service) help people with debt and money management problems - they don't generally offer advice to people about how to return to the workforce and come off social welfare benefits.
On the basis of your posts above, it would seem that money matters are a significant worry for you and your family. Perhaps therefore a trip to your local MABS office to see how you can better maximise your family income might be worthwhile. .
As someone else pointed out, you can obtain free advice and information from your nearest Citizen Information Centre. This is a free, confidential service - but do yourself a favour. If you call into a Citizen Information Centre be honest about your situation, including let them know you if you are claiming payments you shouldn't be. It isn't possible for anyone here on AAM or anywhere else to advise you on your options unless you tell the truth about your circumstances. In addition, it will help staff there to identify if there are other payments you could be claiming, but aren't.
As I mention above, all advice and information in a Citizen Information Centre is in absolute confidence - you will not even be asked for your name and no personal details about your query are recorded.
On a final note, it is possible to lessen/end your family dependency on social welfare payments - thousands of people do it every year. You will find for example that you may be able to return to education/training/emloyment and still retain some of your current benefits - a really useful thing to know and hopefully something to encourage you to look at your options.
There are many back to education and training courses available through FAS and other organisations, some of which even include a childcare option. Call into your nearest FAS office and see what advice and information they can provide you with.
The practical steps you need to take now, are set out above. Remember however that when you go to seek advice or information, you must be honest about your situation and remember to give as much information about your circumstances as you can.
CMCR.