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Original poster

UC MONEY

28 replies

1997aa · 26/08/2025 19:21

Hello! I need some advice as I am worried.
I have an ex partner, we share 2 kids together and we used to live together where we set up a joint account.
It ended due to his actions of drug abuse, & not being the best so I had to go down the route of getting a house via council and claim UC.

I claim single occupancy & get help with my rent etc.

Me and my ex partner are on good terms and have been for a few months now, he sends me money to help towards the kids, he also sends me money to just have? Which of course does help me put towards some bills, ie cars and debt.
I help him make sure he pays his Child Maintence through the joint account so he doesn’t miss any payments due to being unreliable with his addiction.

He does not live with me at all but I think he willingly helps me financially because of the kids? He wants to be around the kids, we do things together sometimes with the kids, I don’t work due to having a younger baby but in hope soon that will change where I can go back to work where I won’t be needing to accept so much?

UC is now wanting to ring me regarding my bank statement's but I genuinely am a single occupant but accept his money he willingly gives? I don’t mind sending them my shared bank with him but I just didn’t see it being an issue due to him just being a genuine man and helping with past debts, life etc. The money sent is different each month, due to whether he is having a bad month due to his drug problem and needs help with the money and also to help me with life money wise for the children.
Is this not aloud? As google isn’t helping with a direct answer.

I obviously don’t want anyone to get into trouble but I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong?

TIA

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 26/08/2025 19:24

It depends really. To claim as a single person you need separate finances, and it does sound like the set up you currently have could be considered at least partially still joint.

cc99xo · 26/08/2025 19:26

Do you have proof he lives in a different households? Does he have his own tenancy somewhere else? You absolutely can claim as a single parent as long as you are living alone. It’s about who lives with you, not how much money he pays towards you/the kids.

Original poster
1997aa · 26/08/2025 19:28

What do you think it depends on? I thought joint was if you live together etc not if he helps money wise? It’s hard cause we were together so some of my bills are his also?

OP posts:
ComfortFoodCafe · 26/08/2025 19:29

If you have a joint account that you both use, then be prepared to be done for fraud and have your uc stopped. As a single claimant you shouldnt have a joint account with your ex.

Original poster
1997aa · 26/08/2025 19:30

He lives with his mum and at his friends when he is home, he works 4 weeks on, 4 weeks at home, at a time so he hasn’t had a fixed address since we broke up…

OP posts:
OSTMusTisNT · 26/08/2025 19:31

Tell them his address, they'll be able to check using either Tax Records if he works or benefit records if hes not.

PractisingMyTelekenipsis · 26/08/2025 19:32

Him giving you money shouldn't be an issue at all.

You having a joint account/ joint bills is absolutely a problem. That's joint finances.

Aligirlbear · 26/08/2025 19:34

You effectively have joint finances if you are using a joint account for bills. The point of being a single household is that you aren’t getting this help. Being a joint household isn’t just based on whether you live together otherwise many more couples would have this arrangement of “living separately but joint finances”

Original poster
1997aa · 26/08/2025 19:35

Oh right okay, this is making more sense… what do you think the next steps should be ? My parents seem to think this isn’t an issue but by what I’m seeing it seems it is!
Thank you everyone !

OP posts:
cardpin · 26/08/2025 19:38

You just have to be completely honest to UC here OP.

Joint finances such as joint accounts and sharing of household bills = joint UC claim, where anyone lives is irrelevant in their mind. It's good that you are willing to show them your joint account, it would only make things worse trying to hide this.

I would, at the very least, expect them to close your claim and they likely will expect you to pay back what you have claimed.

cc99xo · 26/08/2025 19:42

I would just explain to them that you set up this joint bank account whilst you was still together and that you’ve just been using this for him to transfer child maintenance in. It’s irrelevant how much he gives you because there’s no cap on child maintenance and how much a coparent pays to financially support the children - it doesn’t get taken into account as income. However, it’ll be the joint account they’ll question more that’ll raise red flags.

Original poster
1997aa · 26/08/2025 19:42

Oh wow! Scary! Okay, thank you. So from
this I won’t get any help from UC?

OP posts:
cc99xo · 26/08/2025 19:43

You would still get help from UC. They may just as you to go back on a joint claim.

Original poster
1997aa · 26/08/2025 19:45

Okay so ring them tomorrow and maybe explain this situation? & pay back the single occupancy but I would be able to still claim help for my kids and housing? This is all so confusing and scary!!!

OP posts:
cc99xo · 26/08/2025 19:48

Explain the situation. Explain he 100% doesn’t live with you, he just transfers into the joint account for convenience as it was an account already set up when you were together. Tell them you’ll close the account if it’s an issue. It honestly might go better than you think. If not and you do end up in an overpayment, they can only take a certain amount off you per month for payback and they won’t take you off UC completely- could potentially pause your claim whilst they investigate but you’d be able to claim UC again they may just force you to joint claim instead x

TookTheBook · 26/08/2025 19:48

Go to your local Citizens Advice and they can help talk you through this.

Dawnb19 · 26/08/2025 19:48

For universal credit he is not allowed to help out with bills but he is allowed to give you money for the kids. They might be suspicious he still lives with you otherwise.
Where is he registered with he's bank, he's job, council tax, electrol ect?
I recently had a review and had to explain all the money going into my account. £20 off my sister for my daughter's birthday and £14.50 off a friend as we went halves on a takeaway. I also had to explain why my ex gave me £20 for my son's shoes. Because there is so much benefit fraud they are checking up on everyone.

R0ckandHardPlace · 26/08/2025 19:49

Just open a bank account in your own name. It’s not a problem that he’s sending you ad hoc child maintenance, but it absolutely isn’t allowed that you have free access to each other’s money. That’s for couples.

Original poster
1997aa · 26/08/2025 19:50

Okay, I can’t thank you enough for your help

OP posts:
Imagineallthepuppies · 26/08/2025 19:52

Do you also have a separate account?

I would be wary about having joint finances with an addict.

Illbefinejustbloodyfine · 26/08/2025 19:52

I still have a joint account with my ex. We are not yet divorced, (not for lack of trying....) and have a joint mortgage. We each pay into the joint account and the mortgage is paid from there. Bills used to be paid from there, but I switched them to my own account. Also, informed council tax, and as he us self employed, had him inform hmrc that he'd changed address. They did query me claiming Tax credits as he was originally still registered here.

So, we still have the joint account and mortgage vut seperate in every other way. He paid child maintenance into my sole account. Same amount every month.

None of this is a problem but it sounds like your finances are much more involved - why are your bills hus bills if he doesn't live there?

Original poster
1997aa · 26/08/2025 19:58

looking at it, I can see how it looks but it’s more complicated than I’m using the system, as that’s not the case. He’s the father of my children and I suppose take all the help I can get, he’s offshore so he earns well when he isn’t using, I just use the joint account as it is so easy to use when he puts money in there. My bills are more than what I get through UC as I am not working and they are high from when we were together, so he helps but I didn’t understand the full meaning of single occupancy. I thought that was I live by myself with the girls , I pay the bills but yeah he helps but some of these debts are half his due to when we lived together, he has two other children so I said make sure you get CSA to come out of joint so he never misses a payment to them as his drug habit is awful, He helps with food shops, clothing etc helps me and my girls? I can only explain the situation, at least I know now and can hopefully mend this problem. Joint account will definitely be cancelled in the future once I’ve spoken to UC. This genuinely is so scary as it’s not just black and white. Maybe it is and I was just silly enough to not see it? Thanks again for everyone’s help, been more help than google and my parents.

OP posts:
Original poster
1997aa · 26/08/2025 20:04

because like finance company’s where it would be in my name but we both agreed he’d pay it from before, as I couldn’t afford it but he could so he continues to pay for that? That’s what I meant when it’s his bills too…

OP posts:
Cam1981 · 26/08/2025 20:11

Just explain to UC when you have the review but going forward I would close the joint account and any payments your ex makes to reference them child maintenance

cc99xo · 03/09/2025 13:50

How did it go with UC?

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