Question please on CSA and Tax Credits/Benefits

[citronella]

Hi,
I haven't been on here for ages but I know this is the only place I will get proper sensible answers and guidance.
My pen is poised to apply for Child maintenance through the CSA but looking at the CSA and HMRC websites it really is unclear how receiving or applying for Child maintenance might affect the level of Child tax credits I receive. Does anyone have any experience of one affecting the other? What if the father pays irregularly what happens then? What if he only pays bare minimum?
Thanks in advance
Citronella x

Maintenence makes no difference to any benefits. So it won't affect tax credits or any housing benefit you recieve. It used to be that you could keep £20 of it before they deducted it from income support, but again that is now disregarded. WHich does mena there's a big gap in the actual income many lone parents on benefits recieve, but tbh it makes lives a hell of a lot easier. My ex likes to dick around not paying maintenence. If I had to constantly chase up my income supoort as he'd not paid, I'd be screwed.

Thanks - I always think the application forms are so mysterious. They ask you if you are in receipt of this, that or the other benefit/maintenance but don't say why they are asking so I worry that they would say 'oh you are now supposed to be receiving x amount from child maintenance so you are only going to get y in child tax credits' and then you get messed up with your budgeting.

It used to matter if you were on IS, CTB and HB but it doesn't now.
Course that may change again, but for now you get to keep all the maintenance whatever benefits you receive.
It doesn't affect the WTC/CTC you receive at all.