considering moving partner in but unsure about benefits??

gemziec

Hi everyone, my first time on here and hoping to get some advice!
I currently live in a rented house with my young daughter. My partner and I are seriously considering moving in together after christmas, the most logical route being him moving into my current home. However, i've no idea how this will affect my position, and if we will actually be able to afford to live together!
I am self employed and currently on a low income so I recieve working tax credits, child tax credits and housing benefits. My partner is full time employed, on around 17,500 before deductions.
There seems to be so much to consider and our major concern is that us living together would cause such a drastic dip in my 'income' that we simply couldn't manage.
I've looked at benefits calculators etc, but they are not 100% guaranteed to produce the right amount, and i don't want to go through the lengthy process of filling in forms etc re moving a partner in, only to discover that we won't be able to cope, and then have to change it all back again!
Help!!
Thanks
xx

Oldernotwiser

Don't forget the money you'll be saving by only having to run one household, even if your income drops a bit.

Jowo_2

As per ONW, many claimants focus on the 'loss' of benefits rather than the savings that come from a combined household, don't realise they are better off and don't focus on the intangible (i.e. non financial benefits). To help you model the overall financial position, download the budget planner spreadsheet on the free tools section of the website and perform a full 'before' and 'after' analysis.

This should factor in savings with your partner's rent, household bills (energy/insurance/water/council tax), any travel cost savings, savings that come from a combined

"i don't want to go through the lengthy process of filling in forms etc re moving a partner in, only to discover that we won't be able to cope, and then have to change it all back again! bill and so forth." You also haven't considered a third option which doesn't involve your partner moving out again just so you can resume collecting higher amounts of LHA and tax credits - namely reviewing your entire joint household budget to make simple but significant savings in expenses. When you've produced your budget planner spreadsheet, go through this site to identify where to make savings (new tariffs, different suppliers, cheaper groceries, cheap recipes and so on). There are loads of hints and tips here across not just the forums but the entire site.

bunny999

And who said romance was dead.

falc_2

I'm in a similar situation of having fallen in love with someone whose earnings would completely annihilate all my entitlement to tax credits, which I am totally dependent on to survive. It's very difficult, because he is used to spending all his money so it's not like he'd want to be financially responsible for me, and I certainly wouldn't want him to be either! But I just think, if you really love each other, then you will find a way. Since finding my man, I have been better able to earn and am slowly but surely climbing my way out of the poverty trap. If you can possibly earn the money without depending on the hideous irrational tax credits system, then that is a much better thing. I also think you should be very very careful about living with someone whom you are not married to. There is always a back door, and financially you could become a virtual prisoner because you would not have enough rights to walk off if need be. There are children involved so you must be very very responsible and not subject them to the risk of a breakup. Much better off as a single mother! If he loves you, he should make a permanent commitment and marry you. I wish you all the luck and the love and prosperity in the world.