Children now mostly living with Dad - can I still claim child tax credits

kirstyhare

Good advice Jimmy

Icequeen99

shoe*diva79 wrote: »

I just had to claim CTC and was unable to until I was in receipt of CB for the child. It was then back dated to my original claim date when I had the CB in place.

There is no legal requirement that CB has to be in place to claim CTC.
You could have complained.

Sometimes claims are held up because CB is used to verify the existence of a child which is necessary for tax credits. But there is no requirement that you have to claim CB.

Sometimes one parent claims CB and the other (when separated) CTC and that is absolutely fine.

IQ

shoe*diva79

Icequeen99 wrote: »

There is no legal requirement that CB has to be in place to claim CTC.
You could have complained.

Sometimes claims are held up because CB is used to verify the existence of a child which is necessary for tax credits. But there is no requirement that you have to claim CB.

Sometimes one parent claims CB and the other (when separated) CTC and that is absolutely fine.

IQ

Shame I didnt know that at the time.

CB was being claimed for the child - but in my ex's name. I was claiming CB for my older daughter from a previous relationship. When our relationship ended I needed to be in receipt of CB for both children to get the CTC. It wasnt to much of a issue as we were transferring the CB from my ex to me anyway, just took a couple of weeks which then delayed CTC by a couple of weeks.

It seems whatever dept you speak to, you get a different answer!

pizzy

Ive claimed CTC for my step daughters for years, whilst dad received the child benefit. We have now separated and i still get their CTC but neither of us are currently in receipt of child benefit as he hasn't agreed to transfer it even though the children are resident with me.

benefitbaby

Child Tax Credits are awarded to someone who is 'responsible for the child' this is a rather different definition that 'parent with care' it is for this reason the OP can continue to claim if her ex is not going to.

CTC exists for the benefit of the child, so arguably the OP will be using the CTC to feed, clothe, provide bedroom for the child and will use the CTC to do so.

nannytone_2

surely is the father claims the chold benefit, tghen the childs 'home' address will also change?
as will the childs address in regards to schooling and the doctor/dentist?

if this is the case, how can the OP claim the ctc when the child clearly doesnt 'norma;;y' reside with her?

benefitbaby

nannytone wrote: »

surely is the father claims the chold benefit, tghen the childs 'home' address will also change?
as will the childs address in regards to schooling and the doctor/dentist?

if this is the case, how can the OP claim the ctc when the child clearly doesnt 'norma;;y' reside with her?

Because the child does not have to reside with the OP for her to be able to claim CTC, this is why many people living and working in the UK who are 'responsible for children' in another EEA country can claim CTC for their children.

Being responsible for a child is not the same as resident parent, both parents are responsible and so either can claim the CTC in this case OP can because ex does not want/need to.

nannytone_2

well then thats bl oody ridiculous!

if she no ;onger has to worry about childcare and such, then she could easily go to work and be 'responsible' herself!

benefitbaby

nannytone wrote: »

well then thats bl oody ridiculous!

if she no ;onger has to worry about childcare and such, then she could easily go to work and be 'responsible' herself!

Child tax credit is paid when you are in or out of work so I'm not sure I follow your thinking, the OP may well be in work and has not mentioned that she is claiming for childcare so this does not appear to apply either.

The law may be an !!! on occasion however this money is for the benefit of the child and the OP will be using it to provide the things her child needs so I do not see the problem.

Would it be preferable for the OP not to have her son stay because she could not afford the additional costs?

nannytone_2

whay about ....
she is no longer the PWC. so as the nNRP, could her ex make a maintenance claim... and as no children 'reside' with her ... take a gppd [prtion of the ctc from her?