Child Tax Credit - awarded it without applying for it!

Allaboard

Hello,

After separation from my partner I was advised I may be eligible for Working Tax Credits.

I checked online and that appeared to confirm it so I applied.

I ONLY applied for Working Tax Credits but looking at the notification paperwork it appears they've also been paying me child tax credit too.

I do have a child but they currently spend most of their time with my ex partner - I see child once a week for a day and a sleepover. (More during holidays).

Q: Am I eligible for this element of Tax Credits even though I didn't apply for it?

Thank you for your help.

Gentile

Yes.




and more if you want it.

Horseunderwater

If the child is not mostly resident with yourself then CTC should not be paid to yourself. WTC is available to people over 25 years of age who work either 24+ hours (couple) or 30+ hours single person and if disabled or single parent 16+ hours/ week. That is the basics. So if you are now single and not main parent you should work 30+ hours per week and have an income of less than £15,860 ideally to get some WTC. It is your ex partner, who being main carer, who should get the CTC elements and if they do not work, no WTC.

Icequeen99

Allaboard wrote: »

Hello,

After separation from my partner I was advised I may be eligible for Working Tax Credits.

I checked online and that appeared to confirm it so I applied.

I ONLY applied for Working Tax Credits but looking at the notification paperwork it appears they've also been paying me child tax credit too.

I do have a child but they currently spend most of their time with my ex partner - I see child once a week for a day and a sleepover. (More during holidays).

Q: Am I eligible for this element of Tax Credits even though I didn't apply for it?

Thank you for your help.

The form covers both CTC and WTC. You must have entered some details about the child on the form in order for CTC to be awarded.

You can only get CTC if the child 'normally lives with you'. If the child lives with two people then HMRC will decide (if you can't) who has main responsibility. Only that person can get CTC.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/children/children-taxcredits.htm

I would get some advice if I were you.

IQ

Icequeen99

Horseunderwater wrote: »

If the child is not mostly resident with yourself then CTC should not be paid to yourself. WTC is available to people over 25 years of age who work either 24+ hours (couple) or 30+ hours single person and if disabled or single parent 16+ hours/ week. That is the basics. So if you are now single and not main parent you should work 30+ hours per week and have an income of less than £15,860 ideally to get some WTC. It is your ex partner, who being main carer, who should get the CTC elements and if they do not work, no WTC.

Couples without children have the 30 hour requirement (not combined, one of them needs to do at least 30) not 24.

IQ

Allaboard

Thank you.

I'm convinced I didn't put anything down. Unless simply saying I have a child counts?
I specifically left the CTC part blank.

I receive Child Benefit in my name though. Will they have seen that when assessing my claim/doing their checks?

paddedjohn

Why are you getting the child benefit if the child doesn't live with you?

Allaboard

Because I applied for it when child was born and did more day to day care.
That has now changed.
However, because I additionally, financially contribute more each month than the Child Benefit amount I am allowed under HMRC rules to continue claiming it.

Gentile

paddedjohn wrote: »

Why are you getting the child benefit if the child doesn't live with you?

She could be entitled to it. Who are we to question these decisions that the government makes ?

paddedjohn

Gentile wrote: »

She could be entitled to it. Who are we to question these decisions that the government makes ?

It was a genuine question as I was led to believe that it was only paid to the parent with care.

Icequeen99

Allaboard wrote: »

Thank you.

I'm convinced I didn't put anything down. Unless simply saying I have a child counts?
I specifically left the CTC part blank.

I receive Child Benefit in my name though. Will they have seen that when assessing my claim/doing their checks?

Child benefit and Child tax credit rules are different. Just because you get one does't mean you get the other.

The only checks that are done with CB are for the reference number. You cannot get CTC awarded without filling in the relevant part of the claim form.

If you look at the form and notes: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/tc600-notes.pdf

Part 2 of the form (Page 3 notes asks about any children. That is the only place you declare children for CTC, so I presume that is where you entered the child's details.

If you look at what it says - you only enter the details of any children you are responsible for. And responsible for means they normally live with you.

So by filling in that section you have told HMRC that the child normally lives with you or that you have main responsibility for the child and therefore have claimed child tax credit.



IQ