Can I live with an ex whose on benefits?

PixiePuss

Hi, hoping someone can help
Here's the scenario:

my ex lives in a house with our son (aged 5). The ex claims housing benefit, council tax benefit, child tax credit as a lone parent.

I work as s/e (sole trader) and claim working tax credit. I work from home on a computer.

If I was to move in with the ex on a "friends only basis" , how would this affect his benefits ? I'd have a separate bedroom but share one bathroom, and other rooms

(A) Does he declare me as a lodger. Could I even BE his lodger given I am related to someone living in the house (our son). Being a lodger would be ideal as the impact to his benefits seems minimal BUT would he still be classed as a lone parent if I'm living there too?

(B) Does he declare me as a "non-dependent" instead. This route for some reason appears to take into consideration the non-dependents income when working out deductions for the person on benefit. No specific amounts given though.



Is there any other route to solve the problem?

He is currently a lone parent. If I move in and we are NOT a couple, how is his lone parent status affected for all his different benefits given I am the mother of his child ?

complicated eh! Surely this goes on and can all be above board, I just don't want to disrupt his benefits unduly as we'd all be worse off for it.
thanks in advance

lilac_lady

Someone will come along with the correct advice but I'd say that the DWP would class you as couple. How could you prove that you weren't a couple?

mitchaa

I would suspect you will be treated as a couple. If not, i can imagine quite a few fraud investigations being carried out, surveillance etc

Linkage of your child is there, to me 1st thought is you're doing it purely for financial reasons. If i am to think that, how many others inc fraud department thinking the same?

Why not just declare yourself as a couple? Will you really lose that much?

zappster1966

Think DWP or HMRC will have to consider whether you are to be treated as a couple for benefit/tax credit purposes, usually involves a visiting officer being sent out to see you in order to gather information regarding your relationship, after which the evidence goes to a Decision Maker who makes the decision.

When gathering evidence they'll be looking at the stability of your relationship, how you both organise your domestics (cooking, cleaning, socialising etc), your financial & childcare arrangements, sleeping arrangements & any sexual relationship (if disclosed ... they won't ask directly but will record anything you say). They'll also ask about how friends & family view your relationship, whether others see you as a couple rather than as two individuals who just so happen to live under the same roof.

You'll have the right of appeal if the decision doesn't go the way you like it.

But, come on, you know the guy, you've got a child together, you're going to be living in his house ... you'll be a couple, right ? Course, the other solution is to 'fess up, get your benefits sorted as a couple & reduce the financial burden on the rest of us, huh, rather than trying to find loopholes which allow you both to claim separately ?

stazi

If you are not a couple, then you need to show that you are not beyond all doubt.

If you intend to rent a room, then you need a rent book/agreement etc.
Your ex will need to declare you as a lodger without delay, and to avoid any confusion/misunderstanding with HMRC/Council etc, fully explain that you are not in a relationship.

PixiePuss

thanks for the advice. I don't live with him at present, am considering my options. Sounds like a bad idea so far!