Tax credits question when seperated....

[lunavix]

Dh (or H, I dunno lol) and I get a fairly pitiful amount of tax credits due to earnings. We split up last week and he wants to talk bills/money and I've been told to tell tax credits. He moved out but he's decided now that he wants to move back in but sleep in another room as he can't afford half the mortgage plus rent. I see his point however does this mean I can't tell tax credits we're seperated?

I don't know what they base it on, somebody said when the h stops supporting the other person but I contribute to bills and mortgage too anyways lol. So if we're pretty much paying for our own things, and that, what do I tell them?

Found this, hope its of some help.

Separated couples still living in the same house

It sometimes happens that a couple who are in fact separated are still out of necessity living under the same roof, even sleeping in the same bed (if somewhat frostily). In such cases HMRC says it will look for 'the same degree of separation within the household as there would be if one of them had left home'. Factors HMRC will look at include:

• how the accommodation has been divided between the parties;
• arrangements for sharing the kitchen, bathroom and similar facilities;
• what services the parties provide for each other: whether they share meals, do their own laundry, cooking, shopping and cleaning;
• whether they have separated their financial affairs, maintaining their own bank accounts, and what are the arrangements for meeting household expenses;
• whether there is any contact between the parties, or how they avoid contact;
• whether maintenance is paid;
• where the parties are divorced when HMRC becomes involved, whether the grounds for divorce included separation, and if so whether for two or five years.

Is the split amicable, could you agree to leave finances as they are until either one of you moves out or the house is sold etc?

We tried to do this a couple of years ago when xdp came out of hospital and wanted to live in one side of the house while dc and I lived in the other. Was a big house with two sets of stairs so was actually quite practicable. Anyway, we were told that we'd have to prove that things like eating and stuff took place separately and so he'd have to have his own food cupboard in the kitchen and things like that. Tax credits weren't so bothered but Housing benefit wouldn't accept it.