Should ex have half child benefit?

[OneGreyBiscuit]

I've recently left my partner and have a just turned 18 year old ds and nearly 14 year old dd. We still get child benefit for both children presently as ds is still at college. Dd is staying half the week at mine and half the week at her dad's, except in the holidays when she's predominantly with me. Ex is taking half of the child benefit. My problem with this is 1. Ds isn't even staying there so he's providing nothing for him and my DD is saying she doesn't want to stay there as there's no food (probably meaning snacks), she doesn't shower there as he's not brought a slip mat and he hasn't even brought her a hairbrush which I told him she needed to keep at his. Didnt even get them an Easter egg which is no surprise as it's been down to me for the past 18 years. He also has the cheek to say he'll transfer my half to me, like it's his money. Is he mugging me off?

Where is he transferring money from and where to?

I think you really need to check your financial situation and sort out access to the joint account.

Be very very careful about a joint account, at any time he can decide to take all the money AND an overdraft's worth of money as soon as you've paid money in for eg mortgage payment.
I had this happen to me, thought there was plenty of ££ in the account ready to pay the month's bills only to find it had been drained and an overdraft set up AND the mortgage payment was due. So all the payments bounced and I put more money in only for the same again to happen. I went to the bank and they said there was nothing they could do about joint money that had already been taken out - but did agree to stop withdrawals and further overdraft till I could shut it and clear the debt, which was 4x mortgage payment, then I had penalties on top. Only takes one bright idea of theirs to stuff you financially (deposit for next property taken out of joint account prior to house sale), and I only got it back on divvying up with solicitor (again at my expense) from the house sale.
I highly recommend you take steps to close it as you'll be linked to his financial mistakes. Even if you do not, please tell the bank to NOT allow any overdraft on the account.

You really need to get off this joint account, especially as you can't access it. He could be running up an overdraft or applying for loans that you will be responsible for repaying. You could log into your gov.uk account to change the account the child benefit goes to?

Child benefit has always been paid into my account, my ex has never questioned it. My partner and I also have a child together and the money goes into my bank account and he's never asked for a penny of it either? Contact the child benefit people and get it paid into your personal account.

Yes, he is mugging you off.

Take control of the situation and close the joint account. You don't want to be financially linked to an ex, it's too risky for all the reasons given by pp.

STBEX was outraged that I was receiving CB once we had separated but was not giving him half. He saw DH2 for a couple of hours every fortnight (DS2 had to travel to him) and was deducting money from CM at £10 a visit to feed him lunch but still thought he was entitled to CB! There is no way DS2 was eating £10 for lunch. He just gave him cheap sausages and kept the rest for himself. Wanker. Cheap higher rate tax payer wanker.

Now that DS2 is over 18 he’s dropped all financial contribution, despite saying he’d top up his maintenance loan, moved 500 miles away and DS2 is lucky to get a phone call once a month. He’s still got me to support him at uni despite being reliant on CA and UC and he has DSA as ASD/ADHD and I don’t slag his dad off but one day I hope he realises for his own sake because I don’t want him to be grateful for crumbs when he deserves more.