Universal credit - 50/50 shared care

Jet

My step daughter has been left by her husband.

They are agreeing to 50/50 shared care.  He currently receives the child benefit.  

She earns 23k a year.  He earns 28k a year.

Am I correct in understanding there will no maintenance payable by either of them but only he can claim the universal credit / housing benefit as he has the child benefit in his name?

Thanks

Rubyroobs

Only one parent can claim the Universal credit. That should be the parent that the child mainly lives with although obviously with 50/50 that is difficult to establish. They need to sort out amongst themselves who is going to claim it. I think it is possible for her to claim it even though he claims the child benefit. it would possibly even things out more for her to claim the Uc as he earns more so would get less UC assuming similar rental costs and assuming neither has a new partner living with them.

sammyjammy

Do they have more than one child?  If so the most sensible thing to do is to claim the child benefit for one child each.

Jet

sammyjammy said:

Do they have more than one child?  If so the most sensible thing to do is to claim the child benefit for one child each.

No, just one child.

calcotti

As rubyroobs says, child element for UC doesn’t have to go to the person receiving child benefit.