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Original poster

Husband living elsewhere 5 days a week - entitled to any benefits?

38 replies

terramum · 03/03/2009 15:29

DH has been unemployed since last July. Has a possibility of a job via a mate but it would mean he would have to rent a room near there and come back here on his days off as it's too far to commute. We are tied to this house until June so can't all move near the job until then....but after doing a LOT of number crunching can't see any way we can afford this house and even the cheapest shared house room (with all the bills included), even for a couple of months....let alone save to hire a van & a house deposit for moving

Are there any benefits we might be able to get if he's not living at home full time?

OP posts:
LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 03/03/2009 15:30

not if married I don't think

Are you already getting working tax credit, child tax credit?

expatinscotland · 03/03/2009 15:31

No.

Other than tax credits.

expatinscotland · 03/03/2009 15:31

No.

Other than tax credits.

Original poster
terramum · 03/03/2009 15:39

Yes we get CTC. But no WTC atm as his not working. Can't for life of me work out what the WTC would be, even from the entitled to website.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 03/03/2009 15:40

He needs to be earing around £15,000/pa or less, gross, to qualify for WTC.

Otherwise, it's just CTC and child benefit.

Original poster
terramum · 03/03/2009 15:48

expat is that right? DH was getting a small amount of WTC when he was earning above 15k last year....have they put the limit down then?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 03/03/2009 15:52

it's around £15,000 - depends of course on how many kids, if any are disabled, if he is disabled, etc. but the threshhold is obscenely low.

BONKERZ · 03/03/2009 16:08

i suppose it depends if you are going to declare you have split up or not!

Original poster
terramum · 03/03/2009 16:26

bonkerz....DH said I should do that....but I am an honest soul & can't bring myself to lie like that

aaarrrggghh....this is such a hard decision...and it's one he needs to make now, in case someone applies for the job.

OP posts:
CrackerNut · 03/03/2009 16:28

Definatly don't say that you have split up because if he still stays with you for the 2 days a week you'd then get done for benefit fraud.

BONKERZ · 03/03/2009 16:30

you can be a lone parent and claim as a lone parent and still have a man stay 3 nights a week, the difference comes if he is obviously still supporting his family etc and benefits can prove that his mail is still delivered there and its still his main address. To claim as a single parent you would have to get him to change his drivers license etc to new address

expatinscotland · 03/03/2009 16:34

that's fraud because you haven't really split up, you just did it to get more benefits.

sorry, but i think that's seriously low.

Lulumama · 03/03/2009 16:35

really sorry you are in this predicament, is it worth a visit to DSS and/or CAB to find out really what you might be entitled to ? any friends or family who can help a little?

mosschops30 · 03/03/2009 16:38

do you work? could you do a few hours somewhere on the weekend to get some extra

Stretch · 03/03/2009 16:39

Bonkerz, I'm not sure that's true. I have been told that there's no 'allowed' amount of time a man/partner can stay overnight.

4andnotout · 03/03/2009 16:43

When i split with dp brefly a housing officer came round to check i was living alone ( i was)
So it's not worth the risk for a little extra cash.

Original poster
terramum · 03/03/2009 16:55

I might get DH to go to CAB tomorrow & see what they say. Don't expect the Job Centre to be particularly helpful...they haven't been for the last year LOL...but his appt his on Thurs so will get him to see what they say.

I don't work. no. Our DS is HE so I'm a full-time SAHM. I could get a part-time job I guess....although not sure if there are any that don't involve actually talking to people LOL (I have anxiety issues atm)...plus I'm not sure how DS would handle being away from me & DH, especially if DH is away for most of the week. He's only 4 so it's going to be tough on him anyway without increasing the strain....

...the only other option I can see atm is just no paying some bills for a couple of months & then coping with a bit more debt when we all move down there together. Not much different from what we're doing atm anyway as the housing benefit doesn't cover our rent.

[sigh]...why can't life be simple. DH has gone out for a walk to think. His parting words were..."I don't know...you know any decision we make will be the wrong one & we'll regret it in x months time..."

OP posts:
BONKERZ · 03/03/2009 17:40

totally agree its fraud and totally agree its completely wrong BUT i do know someone who has just dine this! and yes before anyone says i have also reported it BUT nothing has happened because her DHs main address is his parents where he 'lives'! She had a visit from benefits and they looked around and didnt find his clothes (she has themn in a basket in the airing cupboard!) and they asked for proof of his address so he gave them his bank statement and his driving license which is registered to his mums home! She is still very much with her husband!

CrackerNut · 03/03/2009 17:50

Bonkerz, the info you gave further down is incorrect. You cannot have a man to stay even 1 night if you are claiming IS, it is a myth.

BONKERZ · 03/03/2009 17:55

im just going by whats been told to me, mainly by my ex friend when she was screaming at me cos i dobbed her in! she has got away with alot then!

CrackerNut · 03/03/2009 17:57

The benefits people don't make the point widely known and imo seem to like the fact that people think that they are ok to have someone stay for a couple of nights a week.

I said to them that basically then they were saying that if I met a bloke on a night out and he came home with me and stayed, that I was then comitting benefit fraud and they said yes.
I then said 'so i can't have a life then', and they said 'no not whilst on benefits'.

ChasingSquirrels · 03/03/2009 18:00

does that mean you can't bring someone home?????

ChasingSquirrels · 03/03/2009 18:00

x-posted

CrackerNut · 03/03/2009 18:01

Apparently so yes.

I told them they need to make the rules clearer then which they didn't comment on.

BONKERZ · 03/03/2009 18:06

i think to be honest from what i have seen they do watch you if you are reported but as long as you can show that the main address (ie where bank statements say and driving license are registered to) is not the same as the person claiming to be the lone parent and there are no obvious signs that the partner lives in the house then you get away with it! the person i know who has done this has just got a council house for her and her 2 children within 3 months of saying her and her husband have split up, the biggest joke of all is that they are all still living in the house they have a motgage on but she told the council he had moved out and that she could no longer pay the mortgage (true they both out of work so they probably could not afford mortgage) but she is now in the council house and he is letting out the family home!