Shared parenting - child benefit & tax credits

[WhoKnew2010]

I'm about to separate from my DH. We are intending to share care for the children 50:50. We have 3 DCs, 6, 4 and 3.

At the moment I earn about £43k so wouldn't be entitled to child benefit for much longer and already don't claim CTC (would be entitled to £67 a year).

My DH is likely to really need the money while he sorts his life out and starts working again - he is very practical and should be able to get some work. The CB & CTC/WTC would really help him.

The website says that the credits etc are payable to the person 'mainly responsible for caring for the child or children'. It makes financial sense for us to say that this is him but I worry that although everything is amicable now it might not always be and this might provide a basis for a claim for custody (not sure what it's called these days) in the future.

Does anyone have any experience of this? Or know anything about it? Thank you so much.

When the roles are reversed it's fairly common for the woman to claim the CB and CTC and for the man to pay maintenance for the care of the children, either independently or via the CSA. Are you going to be paying him maintenance..? However, if you're at all worried that there would be implications of designating him the main carer, it would probably be something you should agree on a more formal basis when you get divorced.

Chil - I'm sorry not to get back earlier - it's been a crazy day. We haven't discussed maintenance, I didn't realise it would even be applicable given the 50:50 split until I googled. I think you're right thought - it may well be worth getting it sorted out formally, or through mediation, rather than banking on staying friends. Hard call ...

thank you so much for your help.