what constitutes living together?

imfedup

I am currently on tax credits and wftc, moving in with my partner next year so I know that I will have to tell them, but at the moment I sleep at his house (he owns it) couple of nights a week and he sleeps at my house (i own it) couple of nights a week.

Do I have to declare this to the TC people - we are not giving each other money to aid with bills, food etc as we are both paying for our own mortgages, bills etc.

Its just that my ex IS living with his GF but she is telling benefits people that she is a single parent and I know that someone has phoned the benefits fraud line to report them (not me, I wouldnt have the guts in case they found me out) but they have accused me of doing it. My ex knows that my BF sleeps at mine in the week as our children have told him and I am worried that he will ring the fraud line and get me into trouble.

If it means I have to tell the TC so that they can reduce what I get then so be it, I would rather have a reduction in my credits and have my BF sleep couple nights a week than be investigated for fraud.

Any advice is greatly appreciated

withabix

imfedup wrote: »

I sleep at his house (he owns it) couple of nights a week and he sleeps at my house (i own it) couple of nights a week.

...and the other 3 nights?

imfedup

we sleep at our own houses alone (well apart from kids and pets)

frugallass

In my opinion you're not technically 'living together' as far as tax credits are concerned (see below) but I'm not sure about other benefits (if you have them)...

I've copied this from the direct.gov.uk site.....
Changes you must tell us about within one month

You must tell HMRC about the following changes within one month as they may mean your tax credit payments go down. If you don’t you may have to pay a penalty of up to £300. The reduction in your payments will be backdated to the date the change happened:

You must tell them if you first claimed tax credits:

• as an individual – but now you’re married or in a civil partnership, or you are living with someone as if you are
• as part of a couple – but you’ve separated permanently or your partner has died

You’ll also need to tell them if you or your partner:

• leave the UK for good
• go abroad for a short stay that lasts for more than eight weeks - or for more than 12 weeks if you or a family member is being treated for an illness, or if someone in your family has died
• lose your right to reside in the UK

imfedup

Thanks for that, neither of us are any other benefits and I wouldnt have said that we were living together just cos we sleep at each others houses as there doesnt appear to be any financial link between us. It just worries me that I could be done for fraud and like most people I could loose my job if that happened.

frugallass

if it's only TC and WFTC that you claim then I would give them a call and give them the 'what if my boyfriend stayed over twice a week' scenario

Do you get a single persons discount on council tax - it might be worth enquiring with them too

imfedup

Yeh we both get the 25% discount on our Council Tax, he rang the other day and was told that we are o.k. as long as its only couple of nights a week. But the other 3 nights a week he has his children and niether of us has a house big enough at the moment to accommodate all 7 of us.

He keeps telling me to stop worrying cos if we are being watched then they will see that it is only couple of nights at each house.

I will ring WFTC helpline now and see what they say.

Thanks for your advice

frugallass

imfedup wrote: »

He keeps telling me to stop worrying cos if we are being watched then they will see that it is only couple of nights at each house.

so true - it sounds to me like you have nothing to worry about

good luck

imfedup

Well spoke to a lovely woman at the WFTC and she spoke to her boss as she said that as we own our own houses and have no bank accounts etc then they dont need to know. As long as it no more than 3 nights, but think I will just stick with the 2 to be on the safe side.

Thanks for your help, I am worrying less now.

frugallass

aw that's good news :T