Couple Benefits

dropintheocean

My partner and I are considering moving in together. I work 18 hours a week for £11000 a year and get WFTC and CTC. He's unemployed and on ESA due to an industrial accident. Does anybody know how my benefits and his ESA would be affected if we decided to move in together? I've looked at every calculator etc and it's not clear. Will he lose his ESA? Will my benefits be reduced? And how often is he allowed to stay over without being seen as cohabiting? Help pleas?

Aarons_mummy

I can't tell you about ESA as I have no idea sorry, but for your WTC/CTC these would be put onto a joint claim rather than a single claim so any income your OH has would be taken into account and adjusted accordingly. Do you pay childcare which means you claim WTC or is that just for your income? If it's the former then if one of you don't work that would be removed as there would be someone at home who would be able to look after the kids.
Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Oldernotwiser

Don't forget the savings you can make when he moves in.

Indie_Kid

dropintheocean wrote: »

And how often is he allowed to stay over without being seen as cohabiting? Help pleas?

There is no such rule. They look at things like bills and bank accounts in joint names, etc.

dropintheocean

We have no shared bank accounts etc, he rents and pays council tax on his own house, he contributes nothing to my bills or food, except for maybe the odd loaf of bread or bottle of milk/wine and he does his own washing etc. He does stay over quite often, and he has been known to pick my little boy up from school for me when i've had to work late. And when he has his son to stay, they often sleepover. I've had a letter warning me of check ups and while in my mind, we are certainly not living together, I'm not sure what the benfits people will think.