Can I claim tax credits as a single person?

[slgsue1979]

I am married with 3 kids. My husband is a horrible human being with a drink problem. After the worst Christmas day we were supposed to go to my parents for the day with the kids, I told him I didn't want to come home so he drove us (he had not been drinking) there as I can't drive and came home.
Me and the kids stayed 2 days and came back today and there was very little contact between us other than him saying when he was drunk he would find somewhere to live and move out in Feb. I was going to ask him to stay at his mum's travel an extra 10-15 miles to work as I can't live like this anymore.
So this evening after a few drinks he tells me to rent somewhere close to work (he travels an hour to and from work)would be about £100 p/w and with his other commitments he can't afford to leave. So his answer is to kick my dd out of her room and make her share with her sister and he will sleep in there.
This is completely unacceptable to me but he can't afford to leave. I had done my calculations and worked out how I would manage financially. We don't qualify for tax credits as a couple but I do on my own. Legally can I make a single claim living in the same house, this would give me my independence and help me save to move out with the kids.
I'm not going into details as to what happened, he wasn't violent though. What I do know is I am sleeping on my sofa because he's unconscious in my bed and I will not spend the rest of my life like this so my only option is to work out how I can move out
Thanks for reading

Yes, and if you claim before next November you can claim for all three dc.

I thought your question was can you claim as a single person - I wonder if some posters might not read the OP and answer the title.

But what you want to know is can you claim as a single person when living together, is that right?

I don't know the answer to that. I suspect it would be hard if not impossible but this is just a guess. Would you actually be living as two totally separate households? Would there still be costs you share even though not romantically linked?

Thank you, do I have to prove I am separated from him? I am going to get legal advice as soon as Christmas holidays are done to set the wheels in motion.

Yes you can claim as a single person whilst living in the same house.

I wanted to explain the situation. We have to live together until one of us can afford to move out. Other than our mortgage there will be no financial link. I am opening my own account and taking my name off the joint one.
After years of living like this I am done. I guess we would split household bills and share costs for the kids but that's it. He will be doing his own washing, cooking etc.
I'm trying to be methodical and calm because I am so angry I just want it to be me and my kids

You can; but it is not easy.

You can but how you prove you are not still a couple is tricky. HMRC is probably want a lot of evidence. How you prove you are not a couple when you live under the same roof I'm not sure as lots of couples have separate bedrooms but don't claim as single. All bills and mortgage will still be in joint names presumably. I would ring HMRC and ask for advice.

Just to add, you may be able to claim housing benefit to rent somewhere for a while until the house is sold, I think they allow you to do this for a few months, maybe six ?? Worth checking out. And probably easier than trying to still live together under the same roof.