help needed please for single dad

Loopy_Girl

There's another single Dad who uses this forum, Enemes, sadly he's not been on for a while but I do remember him saying that when he got custody of the kids he just phoned up the Child Benefit place and told them of the change of circumstances and they changed it over right away.

12 weeks is bloody ridiculous - how are you meant to live without your CTC?!

It's right about being able to backdate the tax credits for 3 months but that's not the point - you need the money now obviously.

OP, I would get yourself to the CAB tomorrow and if no joy there then get onto your MP.

marksoton

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

It's right about being able to backdate the tax credits for 3 months but that's not the point - you need the money now obviously.

.

And thats before the lag time on any CM. Without the CB they won't assess so thats 3 months, let alone time for the idiots to get the ball rolling.

di3004

That is so unfair to wait that long.......

Hope this gets sorted out sooner and make sure its all back dated as well, good luck.;)

rb211

And also maintenance is due from the day the non resident parent is contacted by CSA, but they won't let me make a new claim because I am not in receipt of child benefit ! So that won't be backdated, and if it does take CB 3 months to issue me with a CB number, then how long for CSA to assess the claim and then collect payment ? we could be talking 4-5 months before i get maintenance !!!

Loopy_Girl

Am assuming that things are strained between you and your ex?

Only reason asking is that there is no need to get the CSA involved unless absolutely necessary - you could come to a private arrangement if at all possible.

Believe me there's a rake of folk on here that wished they didn't have to/ex had used the CSA

Mr_Green_Genes

I agree with LG that it would be good if you can avoid the gestapo all together. Sometimes though, it isn't possible.

Anyway, this all happened to me. I had a quick turnround from the CB office fortunately - they looked like they might be difficult but I asked them to show me where the law stated that they should pay CB to someone who had no children living with them. They got their act together quite promptly after that.

Now, the maintenance. This bit about no CB, no maintenance has been around for years. I always ask for the legal reference (i.e. which law or statutory instrument sets this out and I've never had a reply so as far as I can see, it doesn't exist.

When they tried this one on me, they wouldn't close the old case down as the former Mrs GG told them "it was only temporary" and of course they believed her not me. I asked them where in the child support legislation it said that a PWC should pay maintenance to an NRP on the say so of the NRP and they promptly backed down, closed the case but then totally failed to open a new one (but that's a different story!!).

The moral is don't take this nonsense from them, they are breaking the law if they are refusing to consider you as the PWC when the child is living with you. That is practically section 1 of the 1991 Act. Even they ought to have got that far!!

Loopy_Girl

Sorry Mr GG....completely slipped my mind that you were a male PWC at one point.

Me bad!! x

LizzieS_2

rb211 wrote: »

And also maintenance is due from the day the non resident parent is contacted by CSA, but they won't let me make a new claim because I am not in receipt of child benefit ! So that won't be backdated, and if it does take CB 3 months to issue me with a CB number, then how long for CSA to assess the claim and then collect payment ? we could be talking 4-5 months before i get maintenance !!!

Your talking at least that for a straight-forward case, the reasons for delays are usually pathetic excuses of what they haven't done (got the t-shirt on that one).

Child benefit does not have to be in payment to you for you to claim tax credits. It is often thought the 2 are directly linked, but some-one did give a detailed explanation as to why CB is not the only factor in deciding tax credits on the benefits & tax credits board recently - it may be worth posting that part of the question on there.

Pont

rb - just a thought. What age is your child? Is he/she school age and enrolled in school? If so it might be worth asking the school to supply a written letter stating that your child is registered at school and your address is the registered address for your child. Perhaps also discuss your situation with the school. I work in education and there are short cuts occasionally (ie one 'official' department can telephone another 'official' department to get things moving.

Mr_Green_Genes

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

Sorry Mr GG....completely slipped my mind that you were a male PWC at one point.

Me bad!! x

You forgiven!!! xxx