I put this on money matters but I thought perhaps I might get more advice here.
My partner of 26 years left in January, that's a whole other story which I won't go into here!
I am now thinking I need to start looking into child tax credit and working tax credit. I haven't done so before because not all of the bills are in my name yet, we are still sorting through the final financial details and I need to have a clear picture of what is coming in and what is going out before I take everything over.
My question is, can I apply for these tax credits even if his name is still on some of the bills? He has a mortgage elsewhere (although his name will still be on this mortgage too)
My other question is about my hours of work. Right now, I don't work 16 hours a week, but next term I will be increasing my hours and so will be. Term ends here in just over a week. Do I apply from then or the start of the new term? I'm thinking (judging on how long it's taken child benefit to go through) that by the time they have sorted it, I will be working the required hours.
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Tax credits, I have no idea what I'm doing!
Me916 · 29/03/2017 20:09
So if he is currently paying some bills that will be regarded as him contributing to the household?
He is only doing that until he starts to pay a proper set amount of maintainence. Perhaps I need to make him start that as soon as possible and then transfer bills into my name.
It's all just taking too long to sort out. There is no excuse really! I want it sorted so I can feel I am independent from him, so I can move on a bit, but he's taking it slowly for some reason! This sorting out everything is quite depressing 
I'm not too sure how it stands with him paying some of the bills, but if that's going to change in the near future anyway, then I'd still be inclined to start a claim for tax credits and go from there - you can update daily if need be with any changes that come along. You can make a claim online, but it may be worth giving them a ring and see what they say.
It is a faff sorting things out and does seem to drag on a bit, but you will get there and get it done. Keep smiling and hang on in there! 
Me916 it's a nightmare isn't it. I stayed with my XH for a couple of years longer than I should have because when I first started looking into all this it was so daunting I decided it would be easier to put up with him!
I found that a lot of the utility companies wouldn't let me change the name, they needed XH to do it, so you will have to chivvy him along. I tried phoning and they would only speak to the bill payer (despite the bank account the money came from being in my name 
) so it took a while to get it all switched over.
But in the meantime you can apply for tax credits, council tax reduction etc. For TCs they ask what you 'usual hours' are, so if they fluctuate, if you work term time only etc then you put down what you expect to be working on a normal week. If you will be 16+ in April then definitely put that, as it will take that long to get it all sorted and in the meantime you won't be working 'usual hours' over Easter.
My ex is still named on the mortgage and that hasn't caused any issues. As long as he gets himself on the electoral roll/paying council tax elsewhere that will show that he's not living with you any more.
Good luck!
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