Child benefit

[purpleorchid23]

Anyone has any advice or experience in this kind of situation please: My spouse and I are married but manage our finances separately. He claims child benefit, even though his income is three times higher than mine (I earn the minimum wage) and he spends it on himself. I believe this money should be used for our child's benefit. Despite my repeated requests for him to save it for her, there's been no change. He also has personal savings. What actions can I take in this situation?

Divorce would be a good place to start. Do you live together? Does he pay towards the household and her upbringing? Guessing you work part time if his wage is 3 times higher and he’s claiming child benefit?

Full time but agency worker

A bit stuck as nowhere to go

He does pay towards those. So do I.
He thinks I don't contribute enough. I think it's not fair for him to decide where to put that money

Why is cb not in your name , to ensure you get the ni credits if you earn below the threshold.

If you are married and have a child, your finances should be merged. Your income, pension contributions and career prospects will have all take a hit for having a kid. Did you discuss finances before you had kids? Why does CB go to his account and not yours?

Sounds like you are being financially abused. This is not a marriage

Because I was unaware of NI credits before. We were in a different place then. I've asked him to either put it in savings account for her which I had opened or to transfer it to my name so I can do that

When I say different place I mean there was trust

So I wonder if at all possible to change it to my name?

Why is he claiming the child benefit??!! You need to get in touch with the CB people right away and change that. Apart from the actual value of the CB, you are missing out on vital pension credits.

Thank you all for your responses and advice. I'll contact CB people to see if they can help at all in this situation

But to be honest I can't see what they can possibly do

how much does he earn? Do you live together?

If he earns three times your salary are you even elegible for child benefit? The cap is £60k and tapers off after £50k.

Is he paying back some or all of the child benefit through a self assessment tax return if he earns over £50k?

You could do a counter claim but he would still be responsible for paying it back if he earns over £50k. At £60k the full amount would need to be paid back

His earning is below 50k. Though I don't know exact amount. Joint earning might be over it. But I don't have fixed income.

It's not assessed on joint earnings, just applies to an individual salary in the family being over £50k

Will he not agree to changing it into your name? You could try making your own claim

No he won't agree, he says he needs it since he pays rent and utility (which amount to 1/3 or less of his income). I've tried speaking to him.

I guess child benefit is just part of the family pot of money and it doesn’t have to be specifically spent on the child or saved for them. When I was eligible it just went into my account and part of my overall pot of cash to spend each month. Assume that’s what he’s doing as he pays for more food, rent, etc. Who pays for the child’s clothes etc?

I pay for all child's clothes and most of other expenses, including when we go out and cover most of groceries.

I’m pretty sure you can just change the bank account that the payment goes to online,

He claims child benefit, even though his income is three times higher than mine (I earn the minimum wage) and he spends it on himself

This is exactly why when Family Allowance (as it was then) was introduced in 1945, Eleanor Rathbone introduced a clause that it could only be paid to the mother. This rule was later changed by Gordon Brown.

I realise that that is not much help to you in your current situation but unfortunately he is not unique. You are not being treated fairly financially.