Tax credits

[tommolt]

I have very recently been cheated on by my partner and he has left my house. I've contacted tax credits and they asked me the weekly figure of the childcare costs. We have two babies being looked after by a childminder. Is the figure I give them the total weekly cost or half that figure as we split the bill and pay 50% each.

Thanks

Give them the total weekly cost. You're now regarded as their primary carer and resident parent and claiming as a single person. Any assistance you receive from your former partner is regarded as child maintenance which is not taken into account when calculating certain benefits.

Hmm, the question we always ask about childcare costs are that you declare what you are paying out of your own pocket. If he is giving you the money and you're paying the costs then that would probably be ok, however if you both pay the childminder directly then if you get asked to provide evidence for your costs (which happens a lot) then you could be snookered.