Does child maintenance/money from child's father affect benefits?

[Penthesileia]

if someone, who is shortly to be a lone-SAHM, receives money from her (STBex) husband/child's father (not officially through CSA), would this affect how much:

• income support;
• CTC;
• housing benefit;
• council tax benefit;
• any relevant benefit,

she would otherwise receive?

Thanks for any advice on this matter.

No child maintenance no longer affects any benefits that you may be entitled to.

I'm sure it doesn't. My maintenance is separate from tax credits anyway.

No - it used to,but not any more.

That is what I thought. Regrettably, she's had duff advice from her local CAB, who are telling her to wait until she finds out exactly what he's giving her, because what she will be entitled to will depend on that.

Thanks for your quick replies.

I am in a very similar situation. My husband and I separated early this year and we relocated and I gave up my job. I am now looking for work but trying to claim benefits in the meantime. My husband and I have sorted out financial arrangements amicably and he gives me money to pay the rent on our new house where I live with our three children. HOWEVER, the powers that be who decide on benefit eligibility have rejected my claim because my ex pays the rent money directly to me and not to the landlord. It doesn't matter that I have sent proof from my bank that the money goes out again the next day by standing order to the lanlord. They have decided that this money (which is essentially maintenance) is for my personal use and that I am not eligible for JSA. As I am still waiting for child benefit to kick in (moved from abroad but am British) and therefore CTC (which cannot be claimed until I receive child benefit), we are basically living on savings and fresh air

If I had simply called this money 'maintenance' rather than 'other income into the household' I think I would have saved myself a lot of hassle but no one advised me of this. I thought I was being honest and giving as much information as possible

I am and am fighting it but everything is taking so long. This is despite the people at the job centre telling me there would be no problem at all with my (genuine and first ever) claim.

Oh that is good news. I will be putting in a new CTC claim as we are recently separated but he still pays the mortgage. I assumed that would affect my claim, but if not then great!

I think only housing benefit takes it into account, as it's on my new breakdown of income taken into account. There is a website called "entitledto.com" that you can out your figures in and see what works best...