Moving in with my boyfriend and tax credits

TheBaptist

I hope someone can help me with this as I'm very worried about it.

My 8 year old boy and I are going to be moving in with my boyfriend (not my son's father) and I'm a bit worried about how it will affect my tax credits.

I'm going to be paying him rent so in our minds that would make me his tenant and we're really only moving in together as neither of us can afford to keep our own homes at the minute. We're going to be keeping everything else seperate (bank accounts and other financial arrangements) and splitting the household bills. My worry is that this will be classed as us "living together as a couple" and I would lose my benefit as on paper he earns quite a bit.

Has anyone else been in the same position and is there any advice anyone can give me?

lottee

This is defo called living together, I'm afraid.

Scarlett1

I would assume you would be sleeping together so that makes you a couple so you would have to make a joint claim for tax credits, your boyfriend's income would be considered when deciding if you were still entitled to benefits or not which I doubt you would be if you were on IS

TheBaptist

Scarlett1 wrote:

I would assume you would be sleeping together so that makes you a couple so you would have to make a joint claim for tax credits, your boyfriend's income would be considered when deciding if you were still entitled to benefits or not which I doubt you would be if you were on IS

If it means I keep my credits he's sleeping on the sofa! :mad:

I'm working now and have had to put my boy into childcare around school hours so it's really just the childcare bit I'm worried about as it's really expensive! This is going to be a nightmare :eek:

tevangelynne

you will loose most of you tax credits i was in the same situation .. they will expect tour bf to take care of you and your son .. you may get tax credits still depending on what he earns .. you will have to do a joint claim and may end up loosing loads of what u used to get

lottee

TheBaptist wrote:

If it means I keep my credits he's sleeping on the sofa! :mad:
I'm working now and have had to put my boy into childcare around school hours so it's really just the childcare bit I'm worried about as it's really expensive! This is going to be a nightmare :eek:

If that's the case then my husband will find a tent pitched in backyard tonight for him when he gets home from work !!! lol !!! :rotfl:

We too had to pay for childcare as we both work - with no assistance - as we say so earnt too much, it worked out on paper that really I was working for half the month, just to pay the nursery bill. But that's life I suppose. My DS is 4 now, & he gets the funded sessions like all 3 & 4 year olds, still get a bill for the additional hours he does, but it's not like it was to begin with. Do you have any friends or family that could help you out with loooking after him whilst your at work?

TheBaptist

There's not really anyone else I can turn to at the moment. It'll be the same with me - I'll have to work half the week just to pay for the privilege of going to work! I don't think it's fair for the government to expect my bf to pick up the tab for my son when he's not his father (unfortunately) so I'm not very happy about this but I guess I'm not alone.

Graham_Devon

Baptist, not having a go, but it's not really fair for the taxpayer to pick up the tab for your son either.

Its your choice to live this way, so I think it's a lot fairer than relying on people like me. Presumably your boyfriend loves you enough to take both of you on (in the nicest possible sense!) and he should know what he's doing.

You can't have it both ways really.

I have to work about 5 months of the year just to pay tax and I don't get anything out of the taxman, zilch, nothing. I'd rather go to work and pay half a week of my money to get my chld looked after than pay it to the taxman!

lottee

Know what you mean Baptist, but on the other hand, remember your bf should realise that you & your son come as a package. I'm sure he'll understand! What about an after school club ? May work out cheaper than an actual childminder perhaps? Just a thought.

lottee

!!!!!! Graham, are you stalking me ???!!!

Graham_Devon

!!!!!! don't flatter yerself! It's an active thread! :rolleyes: