Please advise on child maintence money and if it affects the amount of working and child tax credits???

[happenedagain]

My dd's dad does not pay any child maintence, I am going to go to the csa, but before I do that I want to know if he is giving me money will it affect the amount of child tax credit and working tax credit I receive?

The reason I ask is because he is not reliable and we may struggle if I am waiting for payments from him. But obviously he needs to pay his way, but would like to no first how it all works.

no, maint is not taken into account for these benefit calculations

really?? wow i did not know that, i really thought there would be some deductions. so all the tax credits I recieve now I will still receive and the money he gives will be extra help for us then. thats great news.

there used to be, I can't remember when it changed - in the last year or so iirc.

It's so wrong, maintenance payments should be taken into account no wonder the country is in so much trouble.

If you're on income support they take it into account minus 20 pounds per week. So basically you're up to 20 pounds better of a week dependent on how much he pays.

Not sure about tax credits whilst you're working, you'd have to phone the jobcentre anonymous phone line I reckon. they would tell you.

It isn't taken into account for benefits any more - see this. It changed on 12 April 2010.

It isn't taken into account for tax credits either.

Does maintenance affect council tax benefit?

Don't think it does - am in the process of separating from H and the calculators I have gone through specifically say that it isn't included in the calculations.