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AIBU?

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Ex wants to claim child benefit

80 replies

Helloyou111 · 14/06/2024 01:30

Hi , I’m unsure what to do . I have three daughers with my ex ( ranging from 4-12) and a baby (who I haven’t nothing to do with her father so don’t get money off him ) Ex has just said that because I have 4 children I can only technically claim for 2 of them (which is correct ) so he wants to put two of the girls on his claim ( he’s hoping to get money towards his rent etc . Also he will get child benefit for them (I don’t think he realises that the 2 child cap doesn’t apply here ) and anyway We have 3 children together not 4 as one isn’t his . I can see his point BUT he earns over 45k a year , has tons of help with childcare if needed ( me included ) and has a very good career ( which I never had as I spend 10 years looking after the kids for him to get it and sacrificed my option of having one hence I only earn 400 a month and heavily rely on benefits to get by . if he does this I’ll also have to pay bedroom tax as “my two on my claim are expected to share “ even though I have the kids half the time . also I’m limited to work as I have zero family here or help , I also help him by working around his working patterns . Ive worked out I’ll lose around £250 a month and after all my bills etc I have £50 left for doing things now as it is , clothes , birthdays , emergencies like today I had to get a new washing machine etc . I basically won’t be able to afford to live . I don’t get child maintanance. We both buy clothes for the kids , split school trips etc but what can I say 😭😭

OP posts:
AllosaurusMum · 14/06/2024 02:22

You say you have them half the time, so it’s 50/50? Then yes, he is just as entitled to claim the kids as you are.

Jeschara · 14/06/2024 02:17

Claim child maintenance of this freeloader. He had no problem asking you for child benefit fraudulently so his can top up his very good salary.
Say no and mean it, you cannot be £250.00 short every month due to his dishonestly. He sounds very unpleasant. He needs to pay for his children.

jenecomprendspas24 · 14/06/2024 02:16

I can’t imagine it would be quite the windfall he’s imagining if he’s on £45k, he wouldn’t be entitled to much at all. Seems like a pointless exercise, and will make you worse off. And unless he has them at least 50% of the time, he would be claiming fraudulently and you’d be complicit in that. So in a nutshell, just tell him no.

Meadowfinch · 14/06/2024 01:59

Tell him no.

If the children live with you then you receive the child benefit. It is your children's food & essentials money.

The money is not for him to spend on rent. If he grumbles, tell him you are saving him from a conviction for benefit fraud, and having to pay it all back in the future.

Well done, getting away from a free-loading idiot.

Hermittrismegistus · 14/06/2024 01:40

If they are not living with him the majority of the time then he would be claiming fraudulently.