Moving in with GF who claims Tax Credits

Blakey1982

Hello

looking for a bit of advice. Me and my gf are probably going to move in together and wanted to know how this affects her benefits in the future.

She is currently a single mum in her mortgaged house and receives working tax credits and contribution to child care, If i moved in with her what implications would this have?

At the moment i rent and would move into her house so we were worried that if i effectively move in as a "rent a room" type of set up her benefits would drop and she would be worse off. bearing in mind she struggles at the moment.

Any advice or help would be appreciated

janninew

Blakey1982 wrote: »

Hello

looking for a bit of advice. Me and my gf are probably going to move in together and wanted to know how this affects her benefits in the future.

She is currently a single mum in her mortgaged house and receives working tax credits and contribution to child care, If i moved in with her what implications would this have?

At the moment i rent and would move into her house so we were worried that if i effectively move in as a "rent a room" type of set up her benefits would drop and she would be worse off. bearing in mind she struggles at the moment.

Any advice or help would be appreciated

If she is your partner, you can't move in with her on the "rent a room" scheme. If this were the case all couples would say this and claim full benefits!

She will be reassesed with your income taken into account. Do you work?

Blakey1982

Thanks for the reply.

Yes i work full time so her benefits would drop. We'll have to work out by how much and assess whether its financially possible. It simply may not be possible to move in together

janninew

Blakey1982 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

Yes i work full time so her benefits would drop. We'll have to work out by how much and assess whether its financially possible. It simply may not be possible to move in together

Don't forget though that your living costs would be cheaper just running the one household. My feelings are, if you really want to live together and share your life, you will find a way.

Good luck.

janninew

Forgot to say, if you put your details into this web-site, you will be able to see what you would be entitled to as a couple living together.

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

Blakey1982

Thanks Janine. The problem we have is her mortgage is so expensive and her father is on there with her (as her ex partner went bankrupt and moved away from her and the baby) meaning i dont think my salary is enough as a contribution. Oh its messy isnt it!

FBaby

Surely the interest on her mortgage can't be more than what you are currently paying for rent? If her father shares ownership, isn't contributing too?

Same with the bills, it shouldn't that much higher than what you are paying now. Add to that child benefits, and maybe some tax credits, she should get some maintenance from her ex, how can you be worse off moving in together?

If you do come short, now that you are together, surely she can go back to work, maybe evenings/week-ends if you can't afford childcare. It is what millions of couples do because they are not entitled to Income Support and all what goes with it.

Blakey1982

Thanks for the reply FBaby.

Her Interest Only mortgage is £840 per month and child car alone £680 per month. Her father lives away now....he helped her by using his income multiple so she could get this house for her, the baby, and the ex who soon left.

I used the calculator provided on the benefits checker and based on us moving in together her benefits would drop by £140 per week!!! Losing that money, combined with her high mortgage and even saving the rent on my flat and bills means we would be around £80 a week worse off.

She does work Full Time already. We both do.

tomitma

You may think that you will be 80- pound worse off, but you will only have to pay one electric, gas, council tax, water rates bill. Plus it is cheaper to cook for two rather than one.

Oldernotwiser

Blakey1982 wrote: »

Thanks Janine. The problem we have is her mortgage is so expensive and her father is on there with her (as her ex partner went bankrupt and moved away from her and the baby) meaning i dont think my salary is enough as a contribution. Oh its messy isnt it!

What about the rent/bills you'll be saving, that must be more than £60 per week?

Sixer

That's a nasty trap, OP.

Do the two of you earn enough together to refinance the mortgage in your joint names? Could that reduce payments a bit? Or is it still too early for that sort of thing?

Perhaps you could work out a full list of bills, etc. If her benefits would reduce by £140 per week, but you feel you'd be £80 per week worse off, you're saying your rent and bills combined are just £60 per week?