Tax Credit Advice

scotslass33

Hi

I'm looking for advice regarding Working Tax and Child Tax Credits. I'm currently a single parent of 1, but I'm moving in with my partner until I finish university. I contacted the helpline today and explained that I would be paying a monthly rent to him and we would be financially independent. They advised that because I won't be named on any household bills or named on the mortgage I would still continue to receive my tax credits as normal.

I'm just looking for anyone to verify this as I don't want to end up getting into loads of trouble.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Scotslass33

[Deleted User]

If you are living together and you are a couple you will find it difficult to claim single. My advice would be to claim as a couple.
My wife doesnt appear on any bills even though she pays part of the rent, electricity, gas, phone etc. We are living together as a couple we would need to claim as a couple.

Oldernotwiser

scotslass33 wrote: »

Hi

I'm looking for advice regarding Working Tax and Child Tax Credits. I'm currently a single parent of 1, but I'm moving in with my partner until I finish university. I contacted the helpline today and explained that I would be paying a monthly rent to him and we would be financially independent. They advised that because I won't be named on any household bills or named on the mortgage I would still continue to receive my tax credits as normal.

I'm just looking for anyone to verify this as I don't want to end up getting into loads of trouble.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Scotslass33

Get it in writing!

mitchaa

It's so easy to say you are financially independent though isn't it?

Some people just think by having their own bank account means that they are financially independent:rolleyes:

How are you going to prove that you are giving him rent money? How do you disprove that he doesn't just give it straight back to you?

The advice you were given was probably from a 17yr old new trainee.

jay1jay

I think you've been given bad advice by the Helpline. It sounds to me like you are a couple. There are married couples with no financial ties on paper - that doesn't mean they are single.

alwaysonthego_2

I agree with the above you're classed as a couple, be careful you will get an overpayment and may have to pay the whole amount back because your claim maybe seen a fraudulant.

compoff

You will be classed as a couple for tax credits purposes if you are living with your partner regardless of what names are on bills etc. The bills may only have been mentioned as something that would be requested if you were ever investigated as a single applicant

Kimitatsu

If you are moving in with your patner then you need to claim as a couple!

You could only claim to be financially independant if you had seperate accomodation within his house that was for your use only. In the eyes of the law you can be occupying the same premises and be financially independant but in the eyes of the tax credits office you cannot! I recently saw a case where this was just what had happened, a couple who had claimed to have split up were occupying the same premises, and were taken to court for fraud. The court found them not guilty of fraud but the tax office deemed that they had been overpaid as single claimants and should have claimed jointly.

There is no appeal mechanism against the tax credits decisions, so if you claim as a single person, you are likely in the long run to be overpaid and they will enforce repayment.

bestpud

Ooooh, I'm a student and on a low wage, but my husbands name is on all the bills!

I'll have to get claiming first thing Monday morning! Yahooooo, we'll be rich!! :T

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Of course you can''t claim as a single person - you will be a couple!!

Why do people fail to understand this very basic concept?

Sorry OP, this isn't just aimed at you - it comes up time and time again and yet the answer seems so obvious.