What will we be entitled to?

Littlestar_3

I am currently a lone parent with 1 child getting income support, child tax credit and housing/council tax benefit but my partner and i are considering living together but we don't know if or what we will be entitled to as a couple. He earns about £200 a week which wouldn't be enough to pay rent, bills, etc. Would we still get housing and council tax benefit, even if not as much as now? I have been on the entitled to website and it says we would but how accurate is it? He previously used to be on a better wage so would this make a difference as i know tax credits ask for 2007/2008 income? I am worried about informing benefits people of a change in circumstance incase we end up worse off. Thanks in advance for any help.

cw18

The most important thing is that you mustn't consider changing circumstances without letting the relevant authorities know -- the last thing either of you wants is to be done for fraud.

The Tax Credit claim will initially be set up using last years income, but as soon as they have it sorted and calculated you can phone with an actual estimate of this years -- and if it's less than last years your TC payments should go up within a couple of weeks.

The one bill that WILL change is your Council Tax, as you'd no longer be entitled to the single person discount. Whether or not you'd be entitled to any help paying that (or your rent) I don't know

Does he currently have his own place? If so, then you should also be taking into account he'd no longer be paying for those.

tink_the_stink

You probably wouldn't receive help with rent or council tax on that wage, so you'd have wage, child benefit, child tax credits & working tax credits.

I'd be more worried about not telling anybody your living together, you'd only have to pay it all back & end up with a criminal record maybe even prison.

What about you working as well, if you need childcare tax credits can pay upto 80%

Littlestar_3

He is in a shared house at the moment which is affordable as its inclusive of all bills but it would be hard to manage my house on his wage alone as the rent would take half of it per week. If we aren't entitled to any help towards rent then how come the entitled to website says we would be? I think a trip to citizens advice would be best. I am not getting a job while my daughter is still so young, shes not at school yet and i want to raise her myself, not put her in a nursery. Thanks for your advice.

kazmc

Littlestar wrote: »

He is in a shared house at the moment which is affordable as its inclusive of all bills but it would be hard to manage my house on his wage alone as the rent would take half of it per week. If we aren't entitled to any help towards rent then how come the entitled to website says we would be? I think a trip to citizens advice would be best. I am not getting a job while my daughter is still so young, shes not at school yet and i want to raise her myself, not put her in a nursery. Thanks for your advice.

Sometimes we don't have a choice to stay at home to bring up our children.
i work fulltime and am a single mum and have bought my own home but my taxes are spent in benefits paid to single mums who "choose" not' to work. How is that right??? :mad:
Why should you get benefits?, even more so when you have a partner living with you? I wouldnt get benefits, apart from tax credits, even if I did give up work because I own my own house.
I would LOVE to spend more time with my little girl but just don't have the luxury of that option.
I spend my life worrying about how I am going to pay the mortgage but am determined that I will not lose my home.
Sorry but it makes my blood boil that you EXPECT to get help and play the system so you get what you think is rightfully yours.
OK thats my rant over!

Lord_Dante

How many hours does your partner work? That is the important thing in a lot of cases. If your partner works over 16 hours he wouldn't be able to claim anything from the JC.

As stated before your best options would be Tax Credits and possible HB/CTB.

Littlestar_3

If my post had been read correctly i am saying we do not live together but it may be an option if we can afford it. I also have paid my fair share of taxes over the years and would love to own my own house but that is an impossibility, even when i was working right up until giving birth my wage wasn't big enough. I know full well what its like having to manage on very little money.

Oldernotwiser

Although you may lose your HB, your partner will save the rent he's paying and his share of the bills in this accommodation. You'll also save on food costs if you live together as well as general household expenses.

pukkamum

kazmc wrote: »

Sometimes we don't have a choice to stay at home to bring up our children.
i work fulltime and am a single mum and have bought my own home but my taxes are spent in benefits paid to single mums who "choose" not' to work. How is that right??? :mad:
Why should you get benefits?, even more so when you have a partner living with you? I wouldnt get benefits, apart from tax credits, even if I did give up work because I own my own house.
I would LOVE to spend more time with my little girl but just don't have the luxury of that option.
I spend my life worrying about how I am going to pay the mortgage but am determined that I will not lose my home.
Sorry but it makes my blood boil that you EXPECT to get help and play the system so you get what you think is rightfully yours.
OK thats my rant over!

Do people just come on this board to rant at people?
The op just wants advice not a lecture on whether she should or shouldn't be allowed to stay at home with her child!!!