Father of 2 in quite a unique situation! What benefits should I claim?

ths62

Hi all, I was just reaching out as I was in need of some help. I'm a young father of 2 beautiful children & I'm in quite a unique situation. I have a 4 year old child from a previous relationship, who lives with me full time & doesn't have contact with his mum due to circumstances out of my control. Effectively, I am a full time single father when it comes to my son. Since then, I have started a family with my current partner & I now have a daughter with my current partner also.

We both currently claim as single parents & have separate temporary accommodation. We want to claim as a couple & live under the same roof but because of the complexities of the situation, we are quite worried that we'd put ourselves in a more difficult position.

In an ideal world, I would love to be working full time to try & give my family the best opportunities possible. In my current situation, I am in what I'd refer to as the 'benefit trap'. I live in an area where rent is above £500 a week so to even think about earning money, I would need to go straight into a job that would cover my rent & then the costs of living (impossible!!). What I thought might be a solution to this would be to claim as a couple, & have my partner & my daughter officially be in the same household as me & my son. Where I'm a bit confused on is how my partner might be able to claim for my son as she is not biologically his mother. What I need to find out is what would give us, as a family, the best position to be in. Would my partner be able to claim for both my children whilst I go out & work a full time job? Are there any limitations to money earned/hours worked living as a couple? & what does claiming housing benefit/income support/child benefit look like as a couple?

I am a very ambitious, young man with many plans in life, with my family & my career, & if I'm being honest with you, the benefit trap I am in is getting me quite depressed as I am confined to not being able to go out & achieve. I also am aware that it only makes sense for all of us to officially live together as a family & costs the taxpayer less... but I will refuse to live in a situation that puts my partner & my children at a disadvantage due to a loop hole I might fall into as my situation is quite unique (I feel).

Any advice & help would be much appreciated!

Rubyroobs

If you move into a household together you will need to make a new claim for Universal credit. You claim as a couple and would be given a couples element, a rent element which is determined by your local housing allowance if private renting and 2 childrens elements. Any earnings that you then earn will reduce the total amount of Universal credit you receive. Your situation is not unique although I don't understand why you don't currently live together when you have a child together. Running one household as opposed to two would surely be cheaper ?

[Deleted User]

OP have you tried benefit checks like turn2us or entitled2?

Rubyroobs

Rubyroobs wrote: »

If you move into a household together you will need to make a new claim for Universal credit. You claim as a couple and would be given a couples element, a rent element which is determined by your local housing allowance if private renting and 2 childrens elements. Any earnings that you then earn will reduce the total amount of Universal credit you receive. Your situation is not unique although I don't understand why you don't currently live together when you have a child together. Running one household as opposed to two would surely be cheaper ?

I should make it clear if you are already on Universal credit then you can make it into a joint claim.

ths62

Thank you. I guess I was under the impression that claiming as a couple wouldn't account for my son who isn't the child of my current partner. We've only just had our baby daughter, hence why I'm asking the question what claiming as a couple would entail. I want to be in a situation where I'm able to work & eventually break free of all benefits altogether

Rubyroobs

ths62 wrote: »

Thank you. I guess I was under the impression that claiming as a couple wouldn't account for my son who isn't the child of my current partner. We've only just had our baby daughter, hence why I'm asking the question what claiming as a couple would entail. I want to be in a situation where I'm able to work & eventually break free of all benefits altogether

Any children in the household would count on a Universal credit claim. You can claim a maximum of two child elements in your situation. If your son's mum pays child maintenance for her son then that is not counted as income on a UC claim.

ths62

I've checked benefit calculators & I guess what I'm not clear on is how it works when I have 2 children - one of which I receive full benefits for & one who my partner does. What would make sense would be for my partner to claim full benefits for both, which would give me freedom to work, but I'm not sure of the legalities of that as my son isn'y her biological child

Rubyroobs

ths62 wrote: »

I've checked benefit calculators & I guess what I'm not clear on is how it works when I have 2 children - one of which I receive full benefits for & one who my partner does. What would make sense would be for my partner to claim full benefits for both, which would give me freedom to work, but I'm not sure of the legalities of that as my son isn'y her biological child

If you move in together you make a joint claim, she doesn't claim for your son you claim for both children together on a joint claim. On a joint Universal credit claim you would nominate her as the main carer and as you have a child under one she would have no work searching commitments leaving you free to do the 35 hours a week work searching that UC would demand of you.

ths62

My partner is on Universal Credit style benefits, whilst I'm not. I think what you say may be true if I had both children with the same partner? This is where I'm a bit confused..

elsien

There are hundreds of families with step children in your situation. UC are used to it - it's really not unique.
As has already been said, the fact that the children have different mothers is irrelevant as no-one else is claiming for them. It's a joint claim for two parents and two children.

calcotti

ths62 wrote: »

My partner is on Universal Credit style benefits, whilst I'm not. I think what you say may be true if I had both children with the same partner? This is where I'm a bit confused..

If she is on UC already then if you move in with her she tells DWP and both you and your son get added to her UC claim. Any child benefit you get is unaffected. Any Child Tax Credits you get will end, as will any Housing Benefit or other means tested ‘legacy’ benefits you are receiving.

It doesn’t matter who the biological parents are. Benefits take account of who the responsible parent/carer is. Your situation is in no way unique, people with existing children form new relationships all the time.