tax credits and shared care?

brians_daughter

Hi i am posting for a work mate. Earlier this week we had a work meeting that resulted in us being offered work over 50 miles away for some of the week.. or face redundancy.

The woman who shares my job was asking about tax credits and shared care. atm she gets child benefit but doesn't claim tax credits. If she takes the option of working away from home some of the week (which her daughter and ex hubby are fine with in the short term ie 6 months) the child will go stay with her father Sunday pm til 3.30 wednesday then will be home with mum wed night - sun pm.

Can her ex hubby claim tax credits for the daughter if the child benefit is paid to the mother? or does she need to have these changed over into ex hubbys name? Obv with it only being for 6 months or so she is reluctant to change everything and the daughter will be split 50/50 between the 2 homes.

Work couldnt advise her, she has called tc but they wouldnt really help as she didnt have an on going claim and it was to do with ex hubby. He is on holiday from yesterday til sunday and said he would find out upon his return but she is just trying to get it straight in her head. He pays maintenance privately and obviously this is being stopped as the child will be spending equal time with both parents so both parents will have same outlay

brians_daughter

does anyone have and knowledge of this... ? Thanks

catenorfolk

i think that tax credit is given to the person who claims child benefit. not 100% sure. but if she claims this herself then she can always give the father some extra money in lieu.

[Deleted User]

She can continue to claim child benefit whilst her ex claims tax credits if she likes. If they both applied for tax credits for the daughter, tax credits will only pay one parent and it is normally the parent who claims child benefit as they are usually deemed to be the main carer.