AIBU to think my friend is a single parent even though she has a boyfriend?

[Newyearnewnameforthis]

She lives with her two DS in her own house, pays all bills. Receives CMS, DS visit their dad every other weekend.
Her BF stays over probably 3-4 times a week, but that's it. He has his own house where he lives. They have no joint money or accounts, he doesn't give her money or pay for anything, he does his own laundry etc at his house, he doesn't keep any clothes or belongings at hers.
She gets Child Tax Credits, but that's all. Someone at her work told her that she can't get CTC because she's not single. She thought it was just Working Tax Credits or Housing Benefits or something that she couldn't apply for. She's worried because on her claim form two years ago she put Single.
Is this true?

I would class myself as a single parent even if I ever met another man as he wouldn’t parent my children or be a dad to them so I would still refer to myself as a single parent.

I believe if they don’t live together it is fine for her to claim.

Her boyfriend doesn't live with her so yes she's classes as single.

*classed

Staying over 3-4 times a week means he lives with her at least 50% of the time.
She is not single, she has a BF.

Problem is if you’re on benefits this grey area needs discussing before you get to it as you’re then in a couple and as you’re not paying for yourself/family and are in a couple this will have financial implications on living arrangements. If you’re paying your own rent/mortgage/bills etc you get the choice to what point in a relationship you choose to pool your resources.

The official line on partners is that you are not single if 'you are married or live with someone as though you were married'.

Your friend is completely in the clear, her bf does not live with her, therefore she is 'single'.

She may find that 3-4 nights a week is considered living together even though they arent though so worth her checking her position

He washes, showers there, eats there, sleeps there, uses gas, electricity, water, towels, change of clothes, toilet, toilet paper, uses the facilities and garden, uses the TV, kettle, keeps consumables there, and would to all intensive purposes be living as a couple for more than half the week?

You don't have to be strictly living together to be considered to be living together as far as benefits are concerned. It's to avoid people fraudulently claiming not to be in a relationship. As PP said, she needs to be careful about the amount of time he's at hers.

You can't give up your financial stability and independence

Morally and technically she’s probably in the right, but she’d have a hell of a job proving it if the benefits agencies decided to get difficult. I think (though she should check her position carefully) that she’d be better off restricting his visits to no more than twice a week and staying at his place at the weekends to protect herself.

I’m pretty sure if your on benefits your partner can’t stay at all. 3/4 nights a week is half the week, so I Wouldn’t class her as single.

Cakes and custard that is utter nonsense

I'm pretty sure that if the b/friend has no financial input, doesn't get post there and can prove this. Then she should be fine. I've got it written somewhere will look for it.

I was investigated after they were told bf stayed 3 nights. Classed as cohabiting apparently. Dropped it to 2 and rang them every week to tell them it was 2 nights that week. They told me to stop ringing.
Although they can't prove you are benefiting from having a working bf, you can't really prove you aren't.

I would advise your friend to stop discussing her finances with her colleagues. How do they even know what she claims?

If he is staying at hers for more than half the week then they maybe classed as living together. What are the official rules?

I'd say you're a single Parent until the BF moved in? Because then they are becoming a family unit. He's not moving in just to be with the mum.. They come as a package.

I was with someone 7 yrs. Never moved in.. I was a SP.
When now dh and I got together he moved in pretty quick ( he already knew ds and I for many yrs and used to take ds to matches etc).. He then took us both on and financially too. So I didn't class as a SP after that.

But from a benefit point of view.
My ex that I didn't live with stayed 1 to 2 nights a week. Ds told income support as was on that for a bit. And they said even 2 nights they would deduct 2/7th of the money as if he was there he can Contribute.

Your friend needs to stop discussing her situation with other people because it's things like this that get people's benefits stopped.

The amount he is staying is a grey area, is he contributing or is he sponging off your friend? does he help towards the food or cost of utilities while he is there? It's not as simple as saying he has a place elesewhere therefore she is fine. With those number of nights he is either contributing so could easily affect her claim or he isn't and is a drain on her. She really needs to look at things more carefully and yes you can be classed as a couple even if you don't technically live together

If he has his own residence that he pays the bills in his name then that is his place of residence.

I had a dc but we didn't live together. Had a home visit!! Had to explain why I didn't live with him.
Felt bullied into moving in together. It turned out to be an abusive relationship and I had given up my council property..
Had to find private rental but I can see how women end up homeless with dc..

He's coming over for a shag and a sleepover. He's not contributing to her lifestyle or family money pot or residing in the same residence. She is legally single.

My DH spends as many nights at home as he works away. I always thought for the purposes of benefits the threshold was 3 or more nights a week?

He doesn't pay or contribute anything to her bills. And yes, when her DS go to their dads every other weekend she goes to stay at his, so her house is empty.