Child benefit 50:50 shared care .. few years down line

[Changed4thisThred]

Ok situation for last 5 years :

2 DC 50% shared care between me and ex

Ex has now split up with partner and will be living on own (single parent)

I am married and claim Child benefit, we aren’t entitled to universal credit/tax credits.

Ex will possibly be entitled to tax credits depending on income.

Should I give up child benefit so ex can claim?

When we separated 5 years ago I claimed tax credits until my partner moved in and we were then not entitled. Ex moved in immediately with partner at that time.

No child maintenance is paid and we go half’s on big stuff.

If I gave up CB would I then have to sort of ‘register’ the DC as having a new home address, Drs, etc??

Thanks

I think you can claim child benefit and he can claim the tax credits if you have 50/50.

Child benefit protects the mothers state pension up to a certain age, worth investigating that first i’d say.

@Debsdonein if that’s the case then that would be fine.

I’ll look into it.

Claim for 1 dc each.

I think I am thinking of the future. I earn less than my ex. What about if I find myself alone as a single parent again, I would have to argue it out with them to take back the Tax Credits.

Or do I just let Ex apply for them now as they need them now?

Does it need to be as formal as him claiming it? Can you not just send him half of it each month?

Tax credits doesn’t exist anymore. It’d be universal credit your ex would be applying for. He would be significantly better off if he claimed for the children, literally £500+ a month. Seems like a no brainer when you aren’t entitled yourself especially if you’re on good terms

I don’t claim tax credits/universal credit.
I do receive the child benefit. Yes could easily send him half that.

I’m talking about the tax credits.

@TokenGinger if he claims for the children he would be entitled to more than the £120 or so child benefit as he would get UC entitlement for the children and also entitlement for extra bedrooms for his rent allowance

@YerAWizardHarry yes that’s all true.

he earns quite a bit more than me, (always has done) if I end up as a single parent I’ll be in a difficult situation. Hopefully that won’t happen though!

Is there an upper limit for salary/Universal credits

Sorry too add more:
He is buying not renting. I don’t rent either.

@Changed4thisThred do you know roughly how much he earns? I could figure out a rough calculation and say whether he would be entitled (assuming nothing out of the ordinary such as disabilities etc) he might not be entitled with no rent

I think I have to just give up the Child benefit and therefore the ability to claim Universal Credit myself in the future (should I find myself in a situation where we could/would have to claim)

As his situation is that he could claim NOW and not just possibly in future.

It might be a moot point as he may not actually be entitled to anything

@YerAWizardHarry it’s so hard to say as he is self employed. It’s a business we ran jointly. Obviously actual profit is made to look crap on paper!!

I’d prob say £27k on paper issshhh

If he is swindling the books then he may very well be entitled although he would need to put in the effort to update with his wages/expenses etc each month and if he doesn’t earn over a certain amount he can actually be penalised.

On the assumption he does admit to earning £27,000 a year he would be entitled to less than £100 a month UC.

Is that £100 for someone who owns own house. ?

So Universal Credit you have to sort of declare each month? That would put him off.

I will stand up for him and say it’s not dwindling books but all accountants put so many expenses against things as to keep the tax bill down. Etc.

Yes that would be if he has a mortgage. You get a higher work allowance. He would need to update every month with how much he earned and any expenses he has. If he doesn’t work enough hours or earn enough he could lose his entitlement as well so swindling the books might not actually go in his favour

Before you switch it consider where you want the dc's home to be for any school applications. Sometimes they look at where the child benefit is registered if it is 50:50 and equal school nights in each house.

@Cattitudes we both will live in same town. He’s not moving away.

@YerAWizardHarry his business is sporadic. Some parts of year are great others not so. It would be a pain I can imagine.
Thanks for your help it’s good to talk about it with someone.

After all this he probably won’t even mention it.

I’m a massive over thinker