Living together - does he become liable for her children?

DX2

JSB can you just confirm how old their (M & F) youngest child is?

icklejulez

So this guy moves in with a girl who's had 3 kids with someone and her partner has passed away, then learns to trust someone else and welcome him into her home with her children. They then decide to have a child together and you think he should walk away. I feel so sorry for this lady you call F. Of course there's an element of assumption, from the things you've said and the story you've given to us about M. I think I know what the problem is M should of walked away from a situation he couldn't handle before he moved in with 3 children and got there mother pregnant.

AnxiousMum

So it sounds more like he wants to get some help on the debt free wannabe board? How long ago did they move in together? It does take up to 6-8 weeks to get a tax credit claim going, as she would've had to have closed down her single parent one and claimed as a couple. Have they yet applied for housing benefit and council tax?

If they have been living together for a while, then maybe the tax credit claim should be escalated to the MP to get some action if it's taking way longer than it should? If it is a recent move in, then it looks like finances have been an issue for M long before the involvement of the other three children if the collectors are already at bailiff and white van stage!

LittleMissAspie

I think everyone is reading this wrong. It sounds like the couple have applied for benefits and are getting fobbed off, leading them to think they aren't entitled to anything. Which leads OP to wonder if there is some law that says the man isn't responsible for the 3 kids that aren't his and therefore they can make a claim for benefits for those 3 which will then mean enough money to live on.

Debicj

Just my take on things, but I doubt this relationship will last and then this current financial problem won't be a problem any more. The mother will go back to being a 'single parent' on benefits and the father of the youngest will either pay via CSA (or not) or take 'his' child with him.

If they are having problems of this nature, I can only imagine things getting worse and worse as it appears that there may be underlying issues and the 'them and us' attitude that somebody else already mentioned.

This kind of thing can cause problems even when the new partner is very generous and caring but if there's any resentment there it obviously isn't good.

My husband 'took on' my two children and supports our family without a problem, even though they have a father who has paid very little towards their upbringing. He has always said that he knew when he met me that I had kids and that he accepted that to love me and be with me, he had to accept them and love them like his own. With this, came the financial responsibility also. I think this is the right attitude and had he thought differently I would not be with him now.

Alleycat

JSB43 wrote: »

Its us that is providing it while M is fending off debt collectors and council tax bailiffs etc.

I am already dragging one council tax bailiff through the civil courts for fraud after I caught him charging a staggering £175 fee just for turning up on their doorstep. The law says its £24.50 and the council even tried to cover for their bailiff.

There will always be food on the table while I am around, but having a loving family with all these men in vans banging at their door at 6 in the morning really doesnt help matters.

I've just provided you with all the links you need regarding M's liability so with no thanks you've just quoted one other random bit of my post and totally ignored the bit you have been banging on about wanting answered. Cheers.

AnxiousMum

LittleMissAspie wrote: »

I think everyone is reading this wrong. It sounds like the couple have applied for benefits and are getting fobbed off, leading them to think they aren't entitled to anything. Which leads OP to wonder if there is some law that says the man isn't responsible for the 3 kids that aren't his and therefore they can make a claim for benefits for those 3 which will then mean enough money to live on.

If so, then the OP has already been answered - as they live together as a family, they claim together as a family - simplez!

achtunglady

Can i ask what size lorry he drives? My OH drives an artic and earns approximately £2400 a month? Is he not able to get another job or work for an agency to top up his pay??
Does his lorry have a digital tachograph by chance?

My OH works away from home all week because working locally and coming home everynight is a discrepancy of about £6k per annum, because thats what he feels he has to do to be able to pay the bills, we claim nothing, and only get CB. It's not forever, just until things are sorted.

JSB43

achtunglady wrote: »

Can i ask what size lorry he drives? My OH drives an artic and earns approximately £2400 a month? Is he not able to get another job or work for an agency to top up his pay??

Its not artic, he used to drive B&Q lorries until he was made redundant. He now works for an agency and I understand the pay is not noted to be generous.

achtunglady wrote: »

Does his lorry have a digital tachograph by chance?

Sorry, I wouldnt know.

cte1111

The OP seems to want something in black and white to cover what we all have been trying to tell him (e.g. that 2 adults in romantic relationship living under the same room are considered 1 family and therefore single parent benefits are no longer available), so here's my attempt.

From the Child Benefit website:
What happens if two families join together, or a family splits?

Only one child in your family, or extended family, qualifies for the higher rate of Child Benefit. If two families join together, the eldest child is the one who qualifies for the higher rate. If you are entitled to Child Benefit for any other children in the new family you will get the lower rate for each of them.
If a family splits up you can get the higher rate for your eldest child, as long as you still qualify for Child Benefit for them.

From Tax Credits website:
Getting married, living with someone - or no longer with a partner

Within one month, tell the Tax Credit Office if:

• you’ve got married or are in a civil partnership - and have been claiming tax credits as an individual
• you are now living with someone as if you were married or in a civil partnership - and have been claiming tax credits as an individual
• you have now separated permanently or your partner has died - and you’ve been getting tax credits as part of a couple

I can't provide you with a specific piece of legislation as there isn't one, however for each benefit you claim there are rules and regulations. These are 2 of the benefits that families are entitled to, and they treat adults and children as one family if they live together, whether they are biologically related to each other or not.