Working tax and child tax

[Starrysky87]

Hi, I'm new here so sorry if I'm posting in the wrong place.

I currently live at home with my mum and 20months old son. I split with mum sons dad back in October and have since claimed working tax and child tax credit as before I thought I didn't qualify, me and my sons dad have never lived together I have always lived with my mum and him with his parents but I thought his income was still included.
However we have been talking about getting back together again but we will still be living apart of we did. My mum says as we do not live together I can still claim the tax credits and should of been claiming from the start but I'm not so sure and I cannot find anything online everything is about living together has to be a joint claim nothing about being together and living seperately.
I do not want to be claiming money that I'm not entitled too but I also don't want to call them and ask incase me and my sons dad do not get back together they may think I'm doing something dodgy.
Does anyone know the rules and been in the situation to know
Many thanks

If you and your sons dad don't live together you are not a couple for tax credits and his income is not included. It will be assessed on your earnings only.
If you move in together you will make a joint claim and both of your earnings will be included.
You have to be working to claim working tax credits.

You have to be on your own the majority of the time, so he could stay for a maximum of 3 nights a week, and would need his own address.

Your mum is right. You only get treated as a couple by tax credits if you live together. Staying over the odd night or two a week is OK too, as long as your main homes are separate

Thank you.
I work 16.5 hours a week so I qualify for working tax.
The whole tax thing just confused me as I've never claimed anything before so was so worried to do it wrong and claim when I shouldnt.
He only stayed once a week when we were together not even that at times so I was on my own 98% of the time and he lives with his parents the whole time. If we did get back together that would stay the same and he wouldn't be staying at all (mum isn't his biggest fan) so will be just me most of the time again as he works shifts and I work aswell.

I'm fairly sure the minimum hours you need to work have changed to 20/24 (can't remember which) so if you claim you won't be eligible for working tax if you only work 16.5hrs, it used to be 16hrs but they upped it :/

It's 16 hours a week to qualify as a single parent. It's 24 hours a week between the two of you if claiming as a couple.

You aren't doing anything wrong OP, your circumstances won't change even if you do get back together so no need to inform tax credits. You're only seen as a couple if living together.

Sorry 24 hours between the 2 of you with one of you working at least 16 of those hours. But obviously that doesn't apply to you OP.

Be VERY careful about making a joint claim if he's likely to be a flaky twat who comes and goes as he pleases. If I were you I'd stay where you are and claim singly until your child is old enough for nursery and you can increase your hours and be less dependent on benefits or him for that matter.
If you don't have a household together but spend some time together etc then you are not a family for any real purposes.

I am not sure either - but do you have to include your Mum as another adult living in the property - and include her income? Someone who knows better might be able to answer that one.

Agree about not making a joint claim until your relationship is back on track and you are living together though.

No the mum is not counted for income purposes. Different rules for housing benefit but OP doesn't mention that.

many women who's partners are in the armed forces but they live the other end of the country claim so I think you'll be fine, because the partner only comes home 3 times a month for 2days ech visit and all their accounts are seperate they claim.

Thanks everyone.
My mum works full time and doesn't claim any benefits or housing benefits. It's just me claiming working tax and child tax credits. At least I feel better now about the whole tax credits situation but wish I claimed back when my son was born now as I've lost out on a lot which would of helped but never mind.