how will be tax credits change one i move in with my partner?

JCrighton

Hi there,

I have a 2 year old son, his father and i spilt up when i was pregnant. I work 17 hours per week and recieve £188 tax credits per week to help with child care costs ect. I also recieve £200 per month from my sons father.

I have a boyfriend, who is employed on a full time basis and has just bought a house (the house is not finished yet) we are discussing the possibility of me and my son moving in with him in 6 months or so. he owns the house out right, but is now not in a stable job and is looking to ope up his own buisness.

If i did move in with him, would my tax credits be effect and in what way?

I would probably have to go back to work full time to be able to contirubte towards bills ect,which would put my nursery bill up to around £800 per month.(which i would not be able to afford) would i still get help towards this as i would not be expecting my boyfriend to have to pay towards this.

Would any one be able to give me some advice on this as I am so confused?

Thanks!!!

HappyMJ

Will you be living together as husband and wife? If so, he should be sharing all costs with you such as the childcare/nursery even though the child is not his. If you don't combine finances then you will almost definitely always be worse off by working and paying childcare.

BigAunty

All means tested benefits would take into account his income/capital as they are premised on the principle that couples must mutually support each other. Your personal preference not to be a burden on him is irrelevant in the way the means tested benefit system is set up.

You can model the impact of the future change on the Turn2us online benefit checker.

But do also do this in tandem with downloading the MSE budget planner to identify the savings that will result when your households combine (i.e. a single council tax bill instead of two, same with energy/water/insurance/broadband/telecoms/tv, plus reduced grocery bills and perhaps savings on transport, etc). Do a before and after scenario with your income and expenses, too.

Other members will be able to advise you on your child care costs and options.

£46 a week child support - is this a figure that is mutually agreed because the non-resident parent has a low income or is this calculated via the CSA which expects them to pay a percentage of their net income to you. Is there any scope to increase this? This has no impact on benefits. I think for 1 child, the NRP is expected to pay 15% of their net income. This would assume he nets around £306 a week or grosses nearly 21k per year, if my maths is correct (not my strong point).

missmontana

Don't forget once the little one turns 3 they get 15 hrs free...
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Preschooldevelopmentandlearning/NurseriesPlaygroupsReceptionClasses/DG_10016103

maybe a childminder would be a cheaper more flexible option?

JCrighton

Thank you for all of your messages - His father will only pay that much as he says 'its not my problem that your back to work and got child care costs to pay' however I will need to try and get him to pay some more, as the amount he pays doesnt even cover anything! (he also says he cant afford to pay more although he managed to buy himself a new fancy car and gone on two holidays!)

BigAunty

There is a child support forum on this website whose members can provide guidance on the pros and cons of taking your ex partner to the CSA if you think that he earns more than 21k and is being stingy. Do you have any idea of his income?

HappyMJ

JCrighton wrote: »

Thank you for all of your messages - His father will only pay that much as he says 'its not my problem that your back to work and got child care costs to pay' however I will need to try and get him to pay some more, as the amount he pays doesnt even cover anything! (he also says he cant afford to pay more although he managed to buy himself a new fancy car and gone on two holidays!)

Ask the CSA for a variation. However, the new car could have been purchased on finance or by salary sacrifice though work and part of the cost of the holidays could have been financed by a new partner.

midnight_express

JCrighton wrote: »

Thank you for all of your messages - His father will only pay that much as he says 'its not my problem that your back to work and got child care costs to pay' however I will need to try and get him to pay some more, as the amount he pays doesnt even cover anything! (he also says he cant afford to pay more although he managed to buy himself a new fancy car and gone on two holidays!)

If you think £200 a month doesn't cover anything then can you send it to me as I obviously need it more than you do.

JCrighton

Thanks for all your help, i will get in contact with the csa! midnight express - it really doesnt cover alot when your a single mother, got bills to pay and childcare costs to pay as well, i came on here to get adivce and help not for sercastic comments.

BigAunty

midnight_express wrote: »

If you think £200 a month doesn't cover anything then can you send it to me as I obviously need it more than you do.

£45 per week doesn't make much of a dent into clothing, food, school trips and so on. It's about £6.50 per day - is that not the cost of a packet of cigarettes these days?

If the guy has got a flash car and multiple holidays, surely he can cough up a bit more than the equivalent of half a tank of petrol each week on his own son....?

missmontana

It all helps tho, its alot more than some people get, I get roughly the same and find its a great bonus! Pays for all the extras I wouldn't normally be able to afford for my son.