would you consider living apart for financial reasons ?

Older_but_not_wiser_2

We would never do it in a million years, although we did look into how much better off we would be if we did (Only because one of my wifes friends did it for a while).

Turned out we would be better off if we did, but, due to the fact it is fraudulent, would have a long term effect on our marriage, would be detrimental to the kids, and just because it's wrong we would never do this.

Smashing

So you're basically asking if people would consider fraudulantly claiming benefits?

No.

gingin_2

lisndai wrote: »

Does anyone actually do this and does it work ? I was talking with my husband about our finances which are in a bit of a mess at the moment and right or wrong i made a fleeting comment about how much better off we would be living apart for a few months this would easily clear and sort our finances out an awful lot quicker than we could living together .

At first I felt sorry for you because it's a situation I am in, in that my OH lives away from home part/all the working week. You have to have a rock solid relationship with 100% trust. You have to accept that as said before, it will affect your family, that your child/ren won't have daddy to put them to bed or give them a bath and accept that, it will, even in a small way, affect them and you. You have to accept that it is a choice you make and that assuming the children stay with you, you will have to take on all the responsibility and not be resentful about it.

But then I read it was to screw over the ever increasingly poorer tax payer, that is your family, your friends, your neighbours, the people you walk past on the street, and I thought shame on you. What sort of example will this set to the children, and what sort of explanation can you give them for daddy living away that will not have them questioning the morals of their parents?

This country is going down the toilet.

Can you not get a job that works different shifts to your OH? Night time carework, stacking shelves, bar work, waitressing, a cleaning job?

alwaysonthego_2

As many of you regulars know I work at the cab and would urge you not to live seperately from your dh and claim benefits as a single person. You will be committing fraud and as one of your earlier posts suggest you are fully aware of it. You will get caught it is matter of time and you will have to pay all the benefits back and possibly get prosecuted and have a criminal record which will limit any future employment.

You are a couple so do not think about claiming as a single person.

My own opinion is that you need to get a grip and stick as a family. You are very selfish and are not thinknig about your children.

alwaysonthego_2

Paparika wrote: »

I bet what they haven't told you is they have their partners stay over so those single mum benefits are fraudulently claimed.

If their partners don't stay over then fine, but realistically how can you have a relationship with your hubby when your in separate homes.

Even if they didn't stay over, they can still be classed as couple due to having children, joint finacial commitments, shared holidays, amount of time spent together.

inkie

Short answer = no. It's morally wrong.

thefenman

I wonder if the old saying "Two can live as cheaply as one" still applies. Maybe not!

dobbie82

lisndai wrote: »

Dobbie would you consider it again in a desperate situation though just for the short term?

Yes I guess if OH lost his job here he would have to go away again to work. While we were apart I wasnt claiming benefits though, even though I guess I would have been entitled. We werent married, we were 300 miles apart, but it just would have felt wrong as hubby was sending his wages home.

Worked out that I would have got about £350-400 a week as a single mum (I was working 30 hrs or so a week so would have got child tax credit and working tax credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit) so guess I lost out on about 15-20k.. scary to think that that is way above full time wages here! But benefitsshould be for those who really need them.

alwaysonthego_2

dobbie82 wrote: »

Yes I guess if OH lost his job here he would have to go away again to work. While we were apart I wasnt claiming benefits though, even though I guess I would have been entitled. We werent married, we were 300 miles apart, but it just would have felt wrong as hubby was sending his wages home.

Worked out that I would have got about £350-400 a week as a single mum (I was working 30 hrs or so a week so would have got child tax credit and working tax credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit) so guess I lost out on about 15-20k.. scary to think that that is way above full time wages here! But benefitsshould be for those who really need them.

but you are not entitled to claim as a single parent as you are a couple, whether your husband is working away. So you haven't lost 15-20k because you was not entitled to it.

ailuro2

Your husband would have to find accommodation, and pay for it, would have to pay council tax etc.

Or would he be claiming benefits too?

Sorry, but this is just plain wrong. It's fraudulent, and if you have a conscience then the guilt would gnaw at you and cause additional problems compared to just financial problems. You two are able to talk about finances , so sit down and go through it with a fine tooth comb and see where you can save money, or earn a bit extra.

Also, get yourselves down to a CAB or have a look at https://www.entitledto.org , if things are that tight, you may be entitled to additional help you didn't know about already - children's clothing vouchers, free school meals, free prescriptions, that kind of thing.