Just found out abusive ExH has been claiming child tax credits

[Teabay]

But I don't think he's entitled to. There was a lot of abusive behaviour, thus reason I filed for divorce and left with the DC, but I am still astounded at his nerve!
He only has DC EOW, 3/14 nights.
Would he be entitled to CTC? He works FT in a good job, doesn't pay / need to pay childcare etc..
If I put a claim in - would he have to pay any of that back to the state?
We don't speak - he is a WNexh (wanc narc for those who recall) with unlimited unkindness. It's taken me a while to begin to recover, but today he announced that yes, he'd been claiming for them since we moved out OVER TWO YEARS AGO!
Wtf? Is it me??

My ex tried this despite the fact that he didn't have any contact at all with DD at the time. If you aren't entitled to claim them, he can. If you are entitled to claim them but choose not to, he can. However if you claim them, he can't any more, but there is no payback needed.

He can't claim. He doesn't have responsibility, you do.

Put your own claim in. And advise them you have your children the majority of the time.

If tax credits find he has falsely been claiming tax credits using your children as a reason he will have to repay the monies he’s falsely claimed.

They will investigate. They’re pretty hot about checking authenticity of claims. I was asked to provide years worth of bank statements and a whole list of things when they de used to investigate my claim as they thought I was still living with ex as his name was still on the mortgage.

It will be a headache for him at the very least.

But if you’re entitled to claim you should.

Thank you everyone.
@MonaChopsis - If you aren't entitled to claim them, he can. If you are entitled to claim them but choose not to, he can. However if you claim them, he can't any more, but there is no payback needed.
Sorry to be a bit dim, but if he was 'sketchy' with his details originally, and then he didn't tell them of the changes (children way less overnights, increased work from PT to FT) will he now have to pay anything back if I make a claim?
I wasn't eligible until this year, I think. But on the claim I'll have to put when they started to stay with me more (January 2016) so will HMRC suss that out?
He's boasting that they won't find out, they won't be bothered and he won't have to pay anything back...

@fuzzywuzzy. Thank you - I feel like it's taxpayers money and he shouldn't have benefited from it. The children have certainly never seen any of it!

He wasn’t entitled so they will want it back. Fraud is taken very seriously.

Thank you @premiertav.
He's such a bully that I begin to doubt myself!

I didn't inform of a change because I didn't think I had to. My mistake. I had to take out a loan to pay them back. I only finished making the repayments this year!

They will definitely be interested if he is fraudulently claiming. And he is. I'm astonished that someone with his circumstances even got his claim form accepted. He must have lied and said he has 50/50 contact.

I shopped my ex. They said he would have to repay ten months money.