Living together/tax credits

[fifi669]

Me and DP would love to live together but looking at the tax credit calculator I look to lose too much in tax credits to make it practical at the moment.
Does anyone know how often he can stay over? Can he come for tea etc whenever?
I think we are probably over any limits at the moment and want to stay within the law.

If you lived together permanently you may lose something in tax credits but surely that would be made up for with his wages? He wouldn't be paying rent or bills for his own place any more so he could give all that to you instead. Have you actually done the maths on what it costs to run two houses vs one? I'd be amazed if you came out worse off.

As far as the law is concerned, you're a couple if you act like a couple and that's something of a judgement rather than a strict definition. If is on the electoral role at a permanent address of his own where he gets his post delivered, spends most of the week, doesn't pay towards your household bills, etc., then you wouldn't be regarded as a couple.

We're both pretty low earners, me 10k and him 14k but i wouldI basically lose any help with childcare when our income is combined.

I've done the maths. He lives with his parents at the moment so pays minimal rent/bills. When everything is taken into consideration the difference is 7k which as you can see from our wages is a massive amount.

If he's earning £14k he's bringing home over £1000/month. Are you saying that, by adding £1000/month to your household income it wouldn't offset what you get in tax credits?

Your plans seem sensible given your wages especially as you have dc and he isn't paying rent on his existing place. I didn't move in with DH until after we were married, once we'd been in a relationship for seven years, because it took that long for it to be financially viable. You can read more about the DWP rules on living together here. HMRC work on similar rules, but they place an emphasis on data from credit reference agencies so it's important to keep all paperwork separate. I agree with the comments about electoral roll and being on bills elsewhere. You should make sure he doesn't have any post with his name coming into your home, and he should make sure he's registered for council tax at his parents, and ideally be on the bills there too. If you split costs for anything (like him paying for food when he visits) it's best to keep it in cash.

youlostme thanks that's actually a really helpful document.

cogito DP pays £160pm for his DD, then has his own bills, phone, car etc so it's not as if my household income would go up £1,000pm, after his own bills prob more like £600, but I'd lose £580. It makes more sense to stay separate, save money for now as in 12-18 months our situation will change, we'll have finished our degrees and have better paid jobs