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Original poster

UC. Can someone explain something to me please?

91 replies

mrsnec · 09/08/2022 22:16

Hi all, not sure if I've put this in the right place but I need help with something.

How does it work with benefits if you and your partner are separated and you want to co-parent. If you are both entitled to UC can you not split it?

We are being led to believe that there has to be one primary carer who gets everything and the other parent is treated as a single person with no dependants and gets the minimum.

Just need to settle an argument.

OP posts:
ArcticSkewer · 09/08/2022 22:19

Don't really know but I assume as you can't/ won't put in a joint claim then you can't both claim for the same children. I guess if you have more than one child you could each claim for a different child.

ArcticSkewer · 09/08/2022 22:21

oh but ... if you are co parenting you can still make an informal agreement. On ctc I claimed it and put it into an account along with both parental contributions. I then used that account to pay for the kids and ex used a credit card which i paid off from the same account monthly.

Original poster
mrsnec · 09/08/2022 22:31

That all makes sense and both of those are great suggestions.

I'm trying to keep the peace with my husband who I'm currently separated from. I let him claim as primary carer even though the DC are with me because he says it will help his housing application and he will leave the area if I don't.

But it's annoying me that I'm down as a single person with no dependants and being pushed to work 40 hrs a week which I'm finding impossible while I'm job-hunting, launching a business and trying to look after the DC.

OP posts:
SpidersFuckOff · 09/08/2022 22:35

I think that's the case yes.

The people I know who are 50/50 and bjth low incomes, where there's more than one child will claim for a child each. But they have a good relationship.

A friends ex who only had kids one night a week (and cancels that a lot) expected her to lie and pretend one was full time with him him so could get the child element, as friends can't claim for all of them anyway. She won't agree and it's made him furious.

Original poster
mrsnec · 09/08/2022 22:41

I'm just trying to keep the peace and I'm wondering if I should have put my foot down but he's struggling to find work and housing and is currently paying 1k a month to rent a room. The housing department keeps cancelling appointments. He's telling me he's going to give me half as soon as he gets housing but I can't see an end to it at the moment.

I am wondering if I've been a soft touch.

Also the 40 hours thing is bothering me just as much as the money.

OP posts:
SpidersFuckOff · 09/08/2022 22:42

Is it not benefit fraud if he's claiming the children live with him when they aren't? I'd be very careful that you're not putting yourself at risk by going along with it if he's not actually living with his children and they're with you.

Does it also stop you being able to claim child support off him too as on paper, they are not with you? In fact if he's a sneaky twat I'd be worried he'd put a claim in for child support for you.

SpidersFuckOff · 09/08/2022 22:46

I can see why you're trying to keep the peace with him, my friends ex doesn't work at all and she's doing very long hours too and I don't understand you being pissed off.

Realistically, what are the waiting times for social housing in the area he's hope to find somehwere? If you're looking at years rather than months I'd seriously consider claiming what you are entitled to for your children because it could be a long time yet before he gets any permanent social housing.

Original poster
mrsnec · 09/08/2022 22:48

My work coach knows the situation. She has informed the Inland revenue. My husband thinks this is delaying his housing application. My work coach thinks I should have applied but I don't have enough evidence to prove the DC are with me.

OP posts:
doodlywoodlydingdong · 09/08/2022 22:57

mrsnec · 09/08/2022 22:31

That all makes sense and both of those are great suggestions.

I'm trying to keep the peace with my husband who I'm currently separated from. I let him claim as primary carer even though the DC are with me because he says it will help his housing application and he will leave the area if I don't.

But it's annoying me that I'm down as a single person with no dependants and being pushed to work 40 hrs a week which I'm finding impossible while I'm job-hunting, launching a business and trying to look after the DC.

Good Lord, why on Earth would you do this? He could literally apply for sole custody through the court as he is the primary care giver on paper, and get you to pay him Maintenance!! He can still get help with housing if you write him a letter saying that he has shared custody of the kids. That's all he needs to get an extra bedroom. He does NOT need to claim for the kids.

doodlywoodlydingdong · 09/08/2022 22:59

And yes, this is benefit fraud. Your DH is claiming for children that don't live with him and isn't even passing the money over to you. The children live with YOU! You need to change this ASAP.

Original poster
mrsnec · 09/08/2022 23:01

I have no idea about social housing. I'm going to Google it. I have been encouraging him to push though because its been 3 months and 3 meetings cancelled. I would assume there is a backlog in this area (SW, not quite coastal but near enough)

Rent is not as high here as in some parts of the UK. He could get a flat for 500 a month but insists on waiting for a house. He's saying private landlords are turning him away which I do know is a problem but sometimes I wonder if he's trying hard enough.

OP posts:
doodlywoodlydingdong · 09/08/2022 23:08

I promise you, my entire family lives in social housing (it is prolific in this area and hardly any wait). The inland revenue wouldn't matter a joy either, the council/HA DH their own affordability checks. If he is paying £1000 for a ROOM then you must be in a very very expensive part of the country . That suggests that social housing wait lists will be eye watering long. That will be what is causing the delay, in some places it could help for him to be classed as in desperate need with two resident children that he has custody of, but he can't be presenting as homeless as he has a room. So this approach would likely take years as he will be closed as overcrowded. But be would be classed as overcrowded even if they were there 50% of the time so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Crochetandcoke · 09/08/2022 23:09

One parent has to be primary parent, yes. If you have 2 DC and want a 50:50 split that's easy, you are each legally Primary parent to one DC. Otherwise, you can have an arrangement where you ended up equal financially, but one person is the claimant and you then sort it out together. You have to be the named person for child benefit as well

Original poster
mrsnec · 09/08/2022 23:19

It's not a room in a house share. It's a room in a B&B obviously not suitable for DC because it's got no cooking facilities and has shared bathrooms. He did say the housing association classified him as a band E. I've just looked that up. I've got some questions I think! It may indeed be a very long wait.

Also he has given me bits of money but not loads, probably not enough and I'd definitely prefer a more regular more formal approach.

OP posts:
titchy · 09/08/2022 23:23

You've been unbelievably stupid. Get everything back to how it actually is. At the moment you are not only complicit in him claiming benefit fraud, when you do get a job you're going to be handing over 25% of your salary to him for maintenance. Really really foolish of you.

doodlywoodlydingdong · 09/08/2022 23:25

Did the council provide the room as emergency accommodation? If they did, they will cover the majority costs or he will get a payment through UC to cover it. The kids "allowance" should still be paid so I don't understand why he isn't sending that straight to you? Hood are you covering your own housing costs? Why is he band E when he claims he has custody of his kids ? None of this makes sense so you really need to do major digging and get this rectified.

ArnoldBee · 09/08/2022 23:28

In my area the wait for social housing is 11 years.

RandomMess · 09/08/2022 23:32

You've been a complete soft touch.

Claim child benefit for one child each and each claim UC on that basis.

A house he deems suitable may not come up for YEARS

Babyroobs · 09/08/2022 23:33

If the children live mainly with you then for goodness sake get them back on your claim. As others have said it is fraudulent if they don't live with him the majority of the time. It is possible to claim for one child each if the split is roughly 50:50. Not having the children on your claim means that you are missing out on the work allowance ( the amount of earnings that is disregarded before your earnings reduce your Uc amount ). Not having the children on the claim will also affect your rent element possibly.

Original poster
mrsnec · 09/08/2022 23:33

He came back to the UK from abroad. Booked the B&B thinking he wouldn't be there long and is still there 3 months later. He had a small amount of cash from selling his business abroad and is subsidising his accommodation bill with that. He's told me he's just applied for child benefit not received it yet. But his UC does cover some accommodation costs

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 09/08/2022 23:36

Babyroobs · 09/08/2022 23:33

If the children live mainly with you then for goodness sake get them back on your claim. As others have said it is fraudulent if they don't live with him the majority of the time. It is possible to claim for one child each if the split is roughly 50:50. Not having the children on your claim means that you are missing out on the work allowance ( the amount of earnings that is disregarded before your earnings reduce your Uc amount ). Not having the children on the claim will also affect your rent element possibly.

Sorry just seen you are not currently working, but once you are then if the children are not on your claim you will not have a work allowance.

Original poster
mrsnec · 09/08/2022 23:38

I live in a house held in trust to my DC and pay peppercorn rent to the Trust. I also have a small inheritance which I had to declare. My UC is on average about 30 quid a week.

OP posts:
giggly · 09/08/2022 23:39

mrsnec · 09/08/2022 22:48

My work coach knows the situation. She has informed the Inland revenue. My husband thinks this is delaying his housing application. My work coach thinks I should have applied but I don't have enough evidence to prove the DC are with me.

I suspect in most council areas that single adults are way down the list for housing so you could be waiting u til the dc have left home before he is housed by the council

Isaidnoalready · 09/08/2022 23:45

You need to take the benefits if the children are living with you they are registered to the gp at your address right? Because they can't be registered at a b&b

Original poster
mrsnec · 09/08/2022 23:46

I am working but I'm struggling to get my business off the ground and my work coach is trying to get me to prove I'm doing 40 hours building my business. I keep telling my husband this is also an issue and he doesn't believe me. Says my work coach is making it up. I've also been job hunting because I can't handle the pressure I'm being put under by work coach to make my target. Made a loss last month and it really upset me. Been turned down for loads of jobs too.

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