Child Benefits- Divorced Parents

[NewMumma91]

Hi all,

Me and my ex are divorced, with a little boy aged 6.
We have a 50/50 court order and it was my ex who always claimed this benefit.
He is on a significantly higher income and treats this money as his. Child doesnt benefit from it in both homes.

has anyone successfully changed though HMRC who could claim the benefit? Does the income matters with decision making?

Thanks everyone for the responses

Income is not an issue unless one of you earns over 60K because then that parent would not be eligible to claim it or could claim it and then pay back as part of their tax return. It's a very grey area with 50:50. You need to split it really yourselves as the child isn't with one parent significantly more than the other. Do you get any Universal credit for your son? I don't think you have to be in receipt of the child benefit to claim the child element of Universal credit and if your ex is on a significantly higher income then it's unlikely he would be eligible for Universal credit.

Have you asked him on what grounds he thinks he should keep given it’s 50/50?

Was this was clarified during your divorce settlement?

He says it’s because it’s his money and It’s being spent on the child so none of my business.
cb was not agreed during divorce settlement

It is only £20 a week but if you need it then ask for half. Do you get Universal credit for your child?

he is outright refusing sharing the money as he considers it to be his.
i don’t receive UC as I earn slightly over the threshold, the problem is that his salary allows multiple activities to sign the child up- music, dance, swimming , guitar, other sports. he expects me to pay half of everything but we don’t share the benefits so with winter and everything it gets harder and it’s used to prove that the child is better off with him :(

Just give him less for the activities and tell him to use your half of the child benefit instead.

he expects me to pay half of everything

is there anything stopping you from saying… no?

Your son is very young anyway to be doing music, dance, swimming , guitar, other sports.!

You could always make a claim and the child benefit people will decide who should get it if he refuses to come off the claim.

Put in a claim, let them decide. Stop paying toward activities. Tell ex that's what CB is for.