to think if they are taking MY child benefit away the letter should come to ME?

[PanicMode]

I don't want to start another debate about the fact CB is going - it IS going to hurt us as we have four children, but we'll have to live without it!

However, I am so cross that although the CB comes directly to me, the letter has gone to my husband. AIBU to feel as though the Govt have turned 50 years of feminism on its head and turned me back into a chattel?!

[cogitosum]

Is he the higher earner? If so that'll be why as it's him paying it back through tax return I think.

[notactuallyme]

if my first husband (gambler, abusive) had received that letter (and therefore found out about the exsistence of child benefit) he would have been very cross. With me.
Just reminding everyone that not all marriages are equal and rosy in the garden. (Happily my second one is)

[KatAndKit]

Actually they aren't taking away your child benefit. You can carry on claiming it in your name, and have it paid into your bank account.

What they are going to do if you do that (and you should, because it keeps up your state pension rights if you are not working) is to take the money back off your husband through the tax system. This is why the letter has been sent to him, as his tax affairs are his business.

[bitsofmeworkjustfine]

erm... shouldnt it have come in the kids names?

Since he is the one earning the money and causing you to lose benefit, i understand why it would go to him.


I think that they assume that you do actually speak to each other

[KatAndKit]

And I'll repeat my point again about "losing the benefit"

Please keep claiming it if you are not working. Claiming CB means your NI contribution for that year is covered and therefore your state pension entitlement is kept up. You get until your youngest is 12 at the moment.

[Bilbobagginstummy]

What KatAndKit says.

You still get your child benefit (unless you decide to stop claiming - don't know why anyone would), but he will be taxed so that the net family outcome is to have no (or less) extra money from the fact that you claim.

[unclefluffy]

You can keep an open claim, and therefore keep your NI credits, without receiving any actual money. Receiving the money will mean that your DH has to fill in a tax return.

[KatAndKit]

That is interesting unclefluffy I didn't know that. Unlikely we will be so rich in the next year that I will need to know it, but hey, it might come in handy, I can dream of having 60k.

[Arithmeticulous]

So the letter comes to the higher earner, in this case the DH, although the DW is the one claiming CB: can he stop claiming on her behalf? Does anyone know?

[unclefluffy]

Nope. The claimant has to stop the claim. You can do it on the phone and give your NI number as ID.

[kittenspjs]

Hmm, but my DH knows my NI number. Both our NI numbers are on our Child tax credit letters. Although, to be fair, he doesn't sound much like me on the phone.

[unclefluffy]

[unclefluffy]

The whole chattel thing is incredibly irritating, though, I agree. As it happens, we do share our financial information, and our finances, but it's hardly a given.

[unclefluffy]

And what notactuallyme said.

[Mrsjay]

Yes My letter was for MR jay I was really confused he was waffiling on the phone to them he has to do a online form but his income depends on overtime his basic is below the threshold all really confusing , sorry i ranted then

[Mrsjay]

but he will be taxed so that the net family outcome is to have no (or less) extra money from the fact that you claim.

OH I SEE i understand now

[SufferingLampreys]

Its all very dodgy isn't it

In some ways I'm glad we're still eligible because I don't think I could cope with working it all out (explaining it to dh) on top of tax credits chaos

[BlingBubbles]

When did you ladies receive your letters, we have been waiting for ours and nothing has arrived yet.... The last thing I want is to continue receiving it in error and then get asked for it back!

[Mrsjay]

Just yesterday Blingbubbles

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

We bank with Natwest and they've always been very good, addressing the letters to Mrs Stealth and Mr Stealth (it was my account before we made it joint first therefore I assume my name's first on the account). This has been going on for the best part of a decade and yet in the last few months letters have been coming addressed to DH only telling him that he'll be getting less frequent statements.
I'd love to know why they think on;y he needs to know this.

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

What happens in houses that have two people earning over the threshold - do they each repay half iyswim?

[Mrsjay]

the Royal Bank of Scotland sent us a letter each to say they were only going to send out 3 monthly statements as well To save paper

TBH i am not sure how the whole thing works I do know if both are under the threshold then they wont be taxed as much or 'something'

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

oh you got one each? Apparently in our house only DH needs to know that

[tripsaway]

It's fairly usual for DWP and HMRC to treat all claims as joint where the claimant is in a couple though. I agree it turns women into chattels, e.g. a lone parent will stop receiving means-tested benefits if she moves in with a man earning above the threshold. He's expected to fully support her and her children and any benefits like income support are removed. It's always been that way, but only now is it becoming raised as an issue because it's affecting higher earners rather than just people on means-tested benefits.