Birth Certificate & Benefits?

D5T

Can anyone advise me please?

Basically I'm expecting a child with my ex-girlfriend due in the summer. I think she will be applying to get a place via the Council which is up to her obviously. I'll be living with my parents but (as it stands at least now) will be very much around our child.

What relevance does my name appearing on the child's birth certificate have? For example will it affect any benefits claims etc?

We're NOT an item but on very good terms but I'm a little scared that if affects what she is able to claim for/against/on that it may change her attitude towards that which frankly upsets me.

Somone has told her that if my name was to apepar on the !!!!! certificate that means all/any monies for ANY benefits would be sought via my salary. Obviously I'm more than happy to be paying for chilcare & the relevant asssociated costs but I can believe that her housing benefits/costs would fall at my feet?

Nobody here is looking to 'play the system' but I'd like more knowledge if for nothing else than to give me a heads up on what could be a very distressing time.

I don't have exact details & this is a pretty worrying thought so any info/clarification would be an amazing help & hopefully some reassurance. Thanks in advance.

mrsspendalot

You would be expected to pay child maintenance for the child, but that is all. Nothing else would be expected from you. If you work you will be expected to pay around 15% of your net income in child maintenance going by CSA calculations. You could negiotiate your own payment with your ex girlfriend, but that is a guide.

You need your name on the birth certificate to have legal rights towards seeing your child, otherwise you will have potential legal costs in the future trying to secure access etc.

pandaspot

with respects to housing benefit, council tax benefit it makes no difference if your name is on the certifcate or not. It will not affect her benefit at all. The council see lots of claims by single mothers and they would never query where the father is

D5T

Thanks for the speedy response, as you can imagine in my situation all the 'cards' are held by my ex so getting correct info would appease a situation before it's even reared it's head.
I have absoluetly no issue in paying for anything child related as you'd imagine, although there are guys out there who do no doubt. However, becoming a parent is something I cannot wait for. It'll be an honour providing for our child in whatever form that takes. I don't suppose there are any links where this is in 'black & white' so I can show it?

Something like housing benefit/provision would be calculated on her situation I assumed but it's easy to get caught up in mis-information so thank you very much for your reply.

pandaspot

I can't think of any links off the top of my head to reassure you.

Just I am an assessor and worked within benefits for 12 years. Suppose thats not the concrete evidence you want lol but She definitely would not need to even mention you on her claim as you are not living with her and have no liability to pay anything at her property.

She would be classed as a single person apart from the baby

Good luck with everything

D5T

Thanks again. I've probabaly painted a far worse picture, I've a habit of 'worst case scenarios' being painted very easily. Just think that if a potential subject that could cause problems can be dealt with beforehand it avoids one potential issue.
Harmony is a wonderful thing but occasionally needs a helping hand lol.

Sixer

In fact, any child maintenance you pay her will not be included in calculating her benefits. So she'll get exactly what she would have got had you disappeared without trace, plus whatever you give her.

Presumably, she has no new boyfriend at present? Her benefits will change if she finds a new boyfriend and they live together as the new boyfriend's income will be taken into account in any claim.