I WONDER if anyone else is in the same boat as me.

I am a lone parent with two children, one aged 18 years and one nine-years-old. My eldest has just finished his A-levels.

I am working 20 hours a week and was claiming Family Credit. When my son took his last A-level in June I notified Family Credit and the Family Allowance and my son went to the local jobcentre to sign on and look for work.

To my horror my Family Credit for my son was stopped, so was my Family Allowance and my son was refused Jobseekers. How come one minute the law says I need so much to live on, then the next, take the benefits off me. No-one wants to pay any benefit for my son.

I have spent most of my children's summer holidays sitting in the DSS, jobcentre and Welfare Rights, and no-one can help me because this is how the system works. My son can sign on this month but from June until September I am expected to keep him and run my home.

It's been impossible. I have never been in debt before, I have always managed to keep my head above water. I am absolutely desperate , I am running up debts (rent, Council Tax, bank). Surely there is something wrong somewhere. Is anyone else facing the same problem?

DESPERATE Lone Parent (name and address supplied).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.