Child maintenance and benefits

[ncqtime]

Hi, hope someone can advise please, does how much child maintenance you receive affect the level of benefit you can receive? Ie is it counted as income or is it disregarded?

It's disregarded (I believe)
Mine has never been taken into account but I do have to declare that I receive it

Thanks. Anyone else? Does it maybe depend on what benefits you get?

Mine was disregarded for working tax credits.

It does depend on what benefits you get. Some councils take it into consideration for housing benefit I believe.

I'm pretty sure it's only for council tax and that varies council by council. Mine doesn't take it in to account. It's definitely not considered for income support, tax credits, universal credit etc.

It's not considered at all, I receive £500pm and it has no effect on my working tax credit and child tax credit, and used to receive full housing benefit when I wasn't working and it didn't affect that either.

Thanks all. Much appreciated.

Babyroots it’s rare to be able to apply for HB if child bearing age, it’d be UC and they don’t take it into account

Ivykaty44 - Op could have been on Hb for some years before Uc even came in. She doesn't specify what benefits she is on. I'm aware it's disregarded for UC.