so confused what to do, tax credits!!!!

lovelybones

hi,

i hope someone can please help me as i really am in a bit of a mess. after reading the trouble some people have been through when letting tax credis know a change in circumstances. my husband and i have been seperated for a couple of years, but in the years we were together we ran up a good bit of debt and this has never really went down as with us seperating there was less money coming in between us, ie him having to rent and help me a bit with the mortgage and we also have a 3yr old to look after, so between us we have about £30,000 debt to clear.

at the end of this month he is being evicted as his landlord is selling the property so i have agreed to let him move in here until he gets himself sorted, so while he was here i was thinking we could try and get an iva for our debts as we have a few joint loans from when we were together.

my main question is i know i will have to inform tax credits and thats ok, but how to i go about it as he is only going to be here 6-8 wks max, hes no where else to go, and he looks after our son when i go to work so if he ends up living rough i have no childminder plus we are on good terms so wouldn't want to see him on street. by no means are we getting back together but i want to declare this as i don't want tax credits coming to me saying im making a fraud claim, as he will have to change his address to here with his bank etc and with all this talk of credit file companys keeping an eye out, scares me. so much on my mind don't know what to do for the best, please help me try and figure this out.

DanE2010

you dont need to inform them as your not a couple, you dont consider yourself a couple, he wont be sharing your bed? listed on the electoral roll? council tax? bank account and bills etc? your just letting someone stay while they sort themselves out who incidently is your ex husband. In regards to IVA I dont know enough about them to be honest but if it is debts you racked up when you were a couple I dont think that would cause a concern with tax credits. Look for further info on their website www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits

Ashley86_2

as long as your not in a relationship or joint financially together then its ok you dont need to let tax credits know if you have a lodger.

ErisBadb

Hi:) - found the following:

If you and your partner are permanently separated or are separated under a court order, you can claim tax credits as a single person immediately. This is the case even if you are still living under the same roof and whether or not you are taking steps to divorce dissolve your civil partnership. The test is whether you are 'separated in circumstances in which the separation is likely to be permanent' and this depends on your ( and your partner's ) intentions.

lovelybones

hi, thanks for your replys, but im really not sure if its going to be that easy. as i said we have still got some joint debt consisting of a couple of bank loans plus our own debts we are both up to our eyeballs in it, we need to go for a joint iva as the joint debt will go after the other person ie me if he gets an iva and i can't pay it, so thought this is going to be the easiest solution. he will have to get his mail directed to here in the meantime till he gets somewhere else to live, so it will be his bank, mobile bill etc, these things will show on a credit report. its just i have heard some awful stories about when tax credits go wrong, so thought it would be better telling them than not, i would rather loose some money for a few months than get overpaid by there books. though thats probably more hassel than its worth. anyway guys thanks for you advise :beer: