2 parents claiming UC for children

kestrel82154

Hi, I need help regarding claiming UC for children, I have 20 month old twin girls and have full PR, Father has none and isn’t on their birth certificate. I have been informed that he has been telling people that he claims UC for my children. Would this even be possible for him to do this and how could I find out as surely people can’t claim without proving they have children?? Thanks everyone

Robbie64

He shouldn't be able to claim for them. Do you get child benefit for them?

kestrel82154

@Robbie64 Yes I get child benefit for them. I am thinking that he is possibly playing the brilliant absent father and just telling his friends but was just seeing if anyone has experienced anything similar before I contact UC myself tomorrow, Thanks

Robbie64

Are you going to claim UC? Or contact them to see if your ex is claiming UC?

I don't know what the procedure is for someone claiming for children when making a claim to UC but some of the answers given to information requested by UC when making claim are accepted in good faith. That was my experience last year when claiming UC. Some information is checked when UC conducts claim reviews. However, if someone claims for children, I'd like to think that some basic checks are made to ensure that this is correct.

kestrel82154

@Robbie64 I have claimed for them since birth but heard from one of his friends that he has tol them he claims for them and sees them etc and he doesn’t at all and never has so I am going to comtact them to ask if he is making a claim and tell them otherwise

marcia_

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82006714#Comment_82006714

he is probably all talk. He can't claim for the same children especially if he is not claiming child benefit for them.

huckster

UC checks child benefit records to make sure the person claiming for the children is the one in receipt of child benefit.

If a parent tries to claim for children under UC, when they are not in receipt of child benefit, then that parent has to go into the local Job Centre with original birth certificates and other original documents.

If in a situation like the OP states above, both parents try to claim for the children under separate UC claims, then a warning comes up on both claims and an investigation is started.

Jemma01

You can get HMRC to scrutinize this. I recommend you do. Please update back when you do.

tacpot12

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82006900#Comment_82006900

HMRC wouldn't investigate unless the OP was claiming Tax Credits. The DWP would investigate, and the OP could report the father anonymously, but I would suggest they don't. As has been stated already, the father is almost certainly not claiming UC for the children, so it just full of hot air. Forcing and end to the illusion risks antagonising him for no benefit to the OP.

Jemma01

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007002#Comment_82007002

submissions for child benefit sits with HMRC, they own the system and investigate issues with it. OP doesn't know if the person is talking UC or child benefits. Separate systems separate entities.

Newcad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82006714#Comment_82006714

The DWP will not talk to you about somebody elses claim, they won't even tell you if he is making a claim or not.

I'm just warning that if you do call then all that will happen is that you will spend the best part of an hour waiting on the phone for someone to answer and say that they can't tell you anything.

As said above - If the children are already on your UC caim then they cannot also be on another UC claim.