To think Tax Credits should be means tested

[bittertwisted]

I know I am going to come across as jealous and bitter with this one, but doing it anyway as fancy a rant, and willing to take the abuse for that privilege
My husband left me with 3 children to bring up, so far no maintenance because he is a f*wit. I am lucky enough to have a part time job that pays well, but still means my children have to go to childminder 3 nights a week and in school hols.
I find it really galling that I get the same child tax credits as women I know who get £3000 + a month in maintenance, plus private school fees. I think this is so unfair, particularly on my children who do not have their mummy to pick them up every day because I have to work.
I know they are doing nothing fraudulent, totally entitled to those benefits, but why is this fair? I am sort of in the middle because I am one of the few with a well paid part time job, what about women who have to work full time on the minimum wage, why should they get the same as women with these huge maintenance payments? I do not understand why more tax credits should not be directed to single mums in that situation.
This is not a 'single mums all have it easy living on handouts rant'. I am a single Mum and I know that is not the way it is. I just think it is incredibly unfair. And yes, I am only human, sometimes a bit jealous when I here they are off to lunch/ beauty treatments/ shopping whilst I am working then picking my kids up from the childminder.
rant over

Tax credits ARE means tested aren't they?

YANBU

Tax credits are means tested.

If you mean maintenance? Well that's a step backwards isn't it?

Tax credits are means tested on taxable income, maintenance isn't taxable!

So you think tax credits should be increased if men don't pay maintenance for their children - basically tax credits picking up the slack for shit dads?

Tax credits are means tested. They are based on how much money you have coming in.

Can I just point out that I am not the OP before this all kicks off?

I don't think you will get much sympathy here, because you haven't chosen your title very carefully. Tax credits are means tested. But they ignore child maintenance in the assessment of means. Which isn't fair, as you say.

Why isn't your ex paying maintenance then?

£3000 a month in maintenance?

Hmm.

Well I don't get a penny from my ex YET (bwahahahaha! Come on CSA rah rah rah!) but I don't begrudge my friends who do

If your ex is a deadbeat then get a CSA claim in. (Not that you'll necessarily get anything NEAR 3K per month )

Tax credits are means tested as you have to send in proof every year at renewal of you and your partners (if applicable) income. I didnt realise that maintenance payments wasnt taken into account. Im still a bit and about someone getting £3000 a month maintenance!!!

CSA are very poor in my experience. No maintenance for DS1 in fourteen years regardless of the fact his father is well off and self employed. Its been to court and the CSA have not put in correct paperwork and ds2 and 3's father contributes ten pounds a fortnight. Horray

Thats where support should come from for families..........

sorry, stupid misleading title. Of course they are means tested, but maintenance is disregarded. I accept some people have richer husbands, that is just the way of the world. I just don't see why benefits should be for families supported by those wealthy exes, that to my mind is not what the system should be meant for.

and I don't begrudge people getting money from their exes, too right they should. When there exes earn a fortune it is only right they should have an equitable share of that for themselves and their children. But the tax credits bit, I just don't get it.

Is your friend who gets the 3k a month in maintenance working?

Those 'wealthy ex husbands' could turn tail/blackmail/withhold maintenance at any time...... Where does that leave the children then??

no not working, would you with that much plus mortgage paid, plus the tax credits, plus the child benefit!!! Again, I must reiterate, that lifestyle is her entitlement, she had it when with her husband, she has the right to it now, as do her children. Just don't get the tax credits not considering maintenance bit when families on less than this a month will lose their child benefit on whatever date that is meant to be happening (can't remember)

And it they turn tail/ withold maintenance, well surely that is the time when benefits should come in to play to support that family. It is no different than entitlement changing when a family splits/ starts a job/ stops a job/ has another baby

He would still need to pay maintenance though!!

I would not want to support my children with maintenance from my ex!! It would be ' sleep with me or I will dock £100' etc etc

So then it would be benefits AND maintenance
Back to square one

I agree OP, the maintenance is a household income and should be taken into account when the tax credits are calculated. Aren't tax credits counted as income when CSA payments are calculated? Because it should work the other way too. Eg, if NRP has child with previous partner and then has another with new partner and they claim tax credits, the CSA factor that in to how much the NRP pays for the first child. Unless I have that completely wrong

I am really confused then.

As a WP you should be getting WTC and CTC surely? As she is a SAHM she should be just getting CTC - is that right?

I agree. It is ridiculous that maintenance is not taken into account. And I say this as someone who would not get tax credits if this were the case. I'm even entitled to free prescriptions because of this!