To claim the child benefit

[R2G]

Step child has lived with us for 6 months.other parent is still claiming their child benefit. They are less well off than us, although we are not well off. I am incurring costs while partner is at work such as days out with my own son, haircuts and so on. Aibu to make a claim for the child benefit as he resides with me.

YANBU. Get dp to sort it asap.

No of course your not the child benefit is for the costs of the child.
which lives with you.

I don’t think you can claim the CB but I think your DH can. It goes to the child’s usual residence so you’d be well within your rights.

Talk to the mother about it first. Take tue high ground. If she’s getting that she’s probably getting other benefits on behalf of the child

Yes, get your DH to claim it.

Is she paying maintenance? If not get that sorted too.

I think YABU. You can claim for your son. Your DP can claim for their child and give you the money to take his child out if you do.

Your husband should claim, not you

@@Ontomatopea yes when I say I claim for it, I mean our household. My DP would put the claim in and we have a joint account.

No she does not pay child maintenance to us and DP does not want to go down that route due to her saying she has no money and we can manage. I want him to claim the child benefit to support with at least some basic costs especially as I can't do anything with my child without doing the same for theirs.

Yes I agree with others. I think she's reluvtant for us to switch to us as she has other benefit linked to it, but isn't that then fraud as say if it's child tax credit and child not there?

If her other benefit is linked to it then that's just tough. If she's not looking after her child she doesn't get child benefit.

It's benefit fraud what she's doing.

Your DP needs to get onto this and get it sorted.
Also, the non-resident should be paying maintenance, even if they're struggling. There would be no equivocation if NRP were the father.

I agree with this. For the sake of his child he should get what he is owed. Even if its put in a savings account for him.

DSD has lived with us for the last 10 weeks and isn't going back to mums anytime soon nor has any direct contact (interim court ordered). DP started the child benefit side of things almost right away on the back of the legal advice we sought regarding the family court matter who basically said tough to mum if she lost other benefits. We've not put a claim in for maintenance yet though as DP doesn't want mum to go down the 'he's only having child for ££' which is something she would do despite the fact DSD isn't safe at hers as established by police and SS. Once the interim order is formalised, then DP will put a CM claim in.

When I rang the child benefit office the lady did suggest sending the completed form by recorded delivery as this will then be processed upon receipt and they apparently suspend the other claim there and then whilst completing the next steps involved in finalising ownership of the benefit.

YANBU get your DP to put in a claim ASAP.

Thanks everyone

You are only entitled to claim child benefit for a limited period (8 weeks from memeory) if a child is no longer living with you. So mum is claiming fraudulently.