CSA payments and CT/HB

a1969baby

Hello!

Just a quick question.

I was wondering if anyone would know if CSA arrears payments are counted as income for the purposes of Council Tax and Housing Benefit?

My ex had a court order in March to pay me £50.00 per week maintenence arrears (over 2 years) for the period covering (approx) the years 2000 - 2002. When I asked the CSA if this would affect benefits they said that it wouldn't, as it was a debt being paid to me, rather than regular maintenence (which I still don't get Grrrrrrrrr!!)

This money has been a godsend and is allowing me to start sorting out my finances after many years of struggling.

Now my son has left school and is going to Uni shortly. My WTC, CTC and CB for him will be stopping in the next few weeks and I think my income from these will be going down by about £50.00 or a bit more every week.

I still have a young daughter at home. My income from my job is about £120 per week, Tax credits and CB will be around £120 per week, and my Rent and Council tax comes to about £105 per week.

I am wondering whether to apply for HB and CTB.

I know its wrong but I feel a bit like if I apply and they take the CSA payments into account then I am being swizzed out of the money I have spent the last 13 years battling to get (please nobody tell me off )

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help

kelloggs36

I have often wondered this myself - they certainly count regular maintenance as income but it would seem unfair to count arrears otherwise they would then recover all the money that you have been paid for that period. The best people to ask are the Housing Benefit people.

a1969baby

Thanks Kelloggs36

I don't really find the HB very helpful, having claimed it in the past, and quite often one person says one thing and one says another, so wanted to see if I could find out a definitive answer before I rang them

I had a quick look on entitled to and it says I should get about £9.00 HB per week if the CSA is included or £33.00 HB/CTB if it isn't, so I guess I'll still benefit from about £25.00 of the maintenence!!