Single parent - non-primary carer. Am I entitled to anything?

Harry444

My ex-partner and I have a 5 year old son. They live approximately 20 miles away from me and she has him during the week while I collect him and look after him at weekends. I currently earn around £20,000 per year and my ex earns a little less. She is fortunate in that she works as a child minder so does not have to pay for any additional child care.

When we split up 3 years ago, I bought a 2 bedroom flat to allow a room for myself and one for my son. I used to earn additional money from overtime at work but availability of this has been reduced from unlimited to nothing over the past year. I currently pay maintanence for my son at £150 per month and receive no benefits. His mother receives my £150 and also gets the child benefit, etc that she is entitled to.

As we are both spending a similar amount of time looking after our child (yes he stays with his mother 5 nights per week and me only 2 but he is at school the majority of the time when he is with her), is it correct that I should have to pay out £150 and not receive any benefits thus making me around £400 a month worse off than her? I am not hoping to stop or reduce the payments I make, I would just like to know if there is any help available to me. Is there anything that I may be able to claim that I am not currently aware of?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Caz3121

only one parent can receive the child related benefits - child benefit/tax credits. Even parents that have a straight 50/50 care (3 nights one week 4 nights the next)

RAS

What does the CSA think you should pay (it is 15% of your take home pay).

Can you get a weekday lodger to occupy the second room?

elisebutt65

Why £400 a month worse off? You dont actually think that your £150 actually pays for all your childs need??
It's not just food for the month: there's extra heating costs, clothes, uniforms, school dinners, transport to and from school, school trips, extracurricular stuff etc etc

I get 40/week for my 10 Yr old and that will cover 1/2 terms fencing lessons. Lol. School dinners are £2.00/day. Just pId out £30 for swimming. He's just had a growth spurt as well so needs new everything!

She ain't making a profit, believe me!

Indie_Kid

Can you ask her for 2/7ths of the child benefit and tax credits?

shell_542

sh1305 wrote: »

Can you ask her for 2/7ths of the child benefit and tax credits?

He can ask but she doesn't even have to consider it. Unfortunately OP there is nothing really you can apply for because as the non resident parent, you don't qualify for anything. As a PP said, only one parent is allowed to claim for a child.

kingfisherblue

RAS wrote: »

What does the CSA think you should pay (it is 15% of your take home pay).

Can you get a weekday lodger to occupy the second room?

It is 15% less two sevenths, as the father has the child for 104 nights a year.

If the £150 a month was based on what you were earning with overtime, you might be able to reduce the amount now that overtime is no longer available.

Also, even though your son is at school during the day, he is still costing money - lunches (either packed or school), uniform, trips and workshops, non-uniform days, etc.

Oldernotwiser

elisebutt65 wrote: »

Why £400 a month worse off? You dont actually think that your £150 actually pays for all your childs need??
It's not just food for the month: there's extra heating costs, clothes, uniforms, school dinners, transport to and from school, school trips, extracurricular stuff etc etc

I get 40/week for my 10 Yr old and that will cover 1/2 terms fencing lessons. Lol. School dinners are £2.00/day. Just pId out £30 for swimming. He's just had a growth spurt as well so needs new everything!

She ain't making a profit, believe me!

To be fair, the OP's wife should also be contributing £150 pm from her earnings as well as the amount she receives in CB/CTC which should be perfectly adequate.

I'm all for the NRP paying their way but s/he shouldn't be criticised because his contribution doesn't pay for everything.