New tax credits, child benefit claims

sacapuntas

My husband and I are separating at the end of the month. We have two children (ages 4 and 2) and I have submitted a new child benefit claim as the old one was in my husband's name (he is moving out, the children are staying with me). I know that once he moves out, I need to make a new tax credit claim. I have the claim pack, but I don't know how to fill it in. When it asks for last year's income, do I include my husband's income, as he was still living here and part of the household? Or do I only list my income (which is about £2400 in Carer's Allowance dating from February of this year, £0 for all previous years)?

When my husband moves out, I will officially have zero income whatsoever-- I'm going to apply for income support, have applied for child benefit, and will apply for tax credits and housing benefit. But as far as actual income, I'll be on nothing until those applications go through.

On the tax credits claim pack, for the question about what benefits you're on, I would not tick any of those, right? I'll be apply for those at the same time as submitting the tax credits claim, so I will fall into the category of not ticking them. Will this mean I don't get tax credits until I do receive Income Support?

Additionally, I put my claim through for child benefit about 3 weeks ago. I understand that in order to claim income support, child benefit has to be in my name. The hotline says that an application made when I submitted mine possibly won't be looked at until January 11, which means I can't claim IS or housing benefit (I assume) until then. Does the same go for tax credits? Will every application have to wait until child benefit is sorted?

Fiver29

Have you rung the CB office? That seems a ridiculously long time for a CB application.

You can apply for HB without having any other benefits in place. Not sure about CTC.

Will your ex be paying maintenance?

sacapuntas

Yeah, that's where I got the January 11 date. I rang the helpline and the automated guide asked for the date I mailed my claim. It then said that claims were taking up to 12 weeks and not to call before January 11, then ended the call!

Will I be stuck on the single rate for HB without CB in my name? Or will they believe me that my children live with me even without the CB claim having gone through yet?

My ex has agreed to pay £5/week child maintenance and split the cost of our daughter's preschool, so that's another £9/week. He is on income-related ESA and housing benefit, so I don't think they'd make him pay more than £5 if I pursued it with the CSA.

mspa

Go to your nearest CAB office they will go through everything with you and tell you what you can claim and how to claim it

Ellie85

guys,i have the same problem. I am a lone mother, being separated, changing CB from my husbands name to mine. I applied 2 weeks ago and they said they have 12week period to process. I cant apply for anything else- working and child tax credit nor housing benefit and basically cant survive 12 weeks. Is there any possibility to chase CB? What to do??

Fiver29

Despite what the automated message says, I would phone the CB office and explain the situation. I've had to phone them for various things in the past, and always found them really helpful.

Ellie85

Fiver29 wrote: »

Despite what the automated message says, I would phone the CB office and explain the situation. I've had to phone them for various things in the past, and always found them really helpful.

Fiver do you mean this line? 0845 302 1444
I called there few times, but the problem I see is, that everytime another operator asnwers the line, Im just the plain number in their list so its difficult to get situation processed.

sacapuntas

I actually had a CAB appointment last week that was a bit of a waste of time because I came away with precisely no information that I didn't already know. I know what to claim and how, I just haven't been able to get specific answers about how waiting on CB affects anything.

How do you actually get through to a human on the CB hotline? Every time I push the buttons that describe my situation (ie. press 2 if you have made a claim and want an update) it tells me to wait longer and then ends the call.

cte1111

sacapuntas wrote: »

My husband and I are separating at the end of the month. We have two children (ages 4 and 2) and I have submitted a new child benefit claim as the old one was in my husband's name (he is moving out, the children are staying with me). I know that once he moves out, I need to make a new tax credit claim. I have the claim pack, but I don't know how to fill it in. When it asks for last year's income, do I include my husband's income, as he was still living here and part of the household? Or do I only list my income (which is about £2400 in Carer's Allowance dating from February of this year, £0 for all previous years)?

You can start a new tax credits claim right away, you don't have to wait for your husband to move out, as long as you are no longer in a relationship.

You only include your own income from last year not your husband's.

sacapuntas

Oh, thank you for that information! Do you happen to know whether I still qualify for child tax credit before child benefit is in my name?