Child benefit advise - moving in with partner

[FedupofTurkey]

I have 1 ds and am moving in with my partner who also had children. I presume child benefit is like tax credits and we need to let the child benefit people know?

In my experience when you contact tax credits they will amend the details for child benefit as well. Ensure it remains paid to you to keep your national insurance contributions.

Thanks fairylea - i'm confused about the national insurance bit though. I presume we'll have one payment as a combined household for all kids. My partner has more kids than me so won't it go to him - though we will have a joint account so i didn't think it matter who it goes to

As I understand it the national insurance credit is important for your pension entitlement. I am not very knowledgeable about this though so worth checking it.

Hmm that's confused me with him also having dc! In our house I had dd and new dp had no dc so child benefit has always been in my name, even though we now have ds as well. Tax credits comes addressed to both of us and is paid into a joint account.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along soon!.

Does he receive the child benefit currently or does it go to the children's mum? Does he work?

Rock - he receives it and he works. I receive mine and I work. He earns more than me. Whats best to do?

You will need to make a joint claim - it means that you will be slightly worse off, as one child gets £20, and the others £11.40 a week. At the moment you get two lots of £20, but when you have a joint claim you will only get one.

Thanks thisis - we realised we would. Crazy isn't it, we will be lots worse off living as a family than separate as we both lose tax credits and my partner receives other state benefit.

That's why so many people don't declare their partners - they lose so much money by being honest, but it would be in everyone's interest for the system to be set up to encourage families to live together.

I am very glad you are being honest though. (works in benefits)

This is - myself and my partner have both been single parents through no fault of our own - both working and receiving benefits - i couldn't have survived without receiving such benefits but its strange how the state don't 'encourage' 'couples' benefits and seem to prefer the singleton state

This is - myself and my partner have both been single parents through no fault of our own - both working and receiving benefits - i couldn't have survived without receiving such benefits but its strange how the state don't 'encourage' 'couples' benefits and seem to prefer the singleton state

You are always better off as a couple - only one set of household bills for a start!