How do I separate expenditure?

Ceekay

Hi guys

I have been reading this forum for quite a long time, and hopefully I will be sorting BR very soon, however This is the first of probably many questions.

To explain, I currently work full time @minimum wage, with varied hours, and receive working tax credit.

I am renting privately and live with my 22 yr old son who also works full time @minimum wage. He is not on the rental agreement.

Now when we moved into this address, because of previous debts some of the bills were put into my sons name and he pays these direct and therefore gives me less housekeeping.

How will I sort this out on the SOA.?
Also do I have to included his income on the SOA, as obviously he is a working adult, but my debts aren't his problem....

Confused!

ky822000

I don't think your situation would be seen any differently to that of those with a solvent partner.

When I did my SOA I just included my partner's 'contribution amount' to the household (ie, all the bills and housekeeping she paid) along with my full wage and the full amount of all the household bills and food, plus my personal bills and child related expenses.

I did not include her personal bills (car insurance, mobile phone or loan payments etc) at all.

Good luck, we are all here for support and it was a great help to me to know I was not the only person who had been through this.

Ineedaname

Your personal arrangements of how the bills are paid and by whom aren't actually relevant when filling out the SOA as this is about how much it costs you to live.

So, as said above, put your income, plus your tax credits, then the 'housekeeping' from your son as 'partners income' (which would be the total of the amount he actually does pay you plus the amount he pays in DDs each month), then list all the household bills and your personal expenditure.

If you check that against how the finances actually do work, it should come to around the same surplus (or not) figure at the end.

Once the OR has seen your bank statements they may notice you don't have DDs set up for all bills from your bank account and ask you about that. You then just explain as you have done above. You don't need to send in any proof of your son's income or copies of his bank statements.