Dependants?

[LMW1990]

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone can help. My step children (3 and 7) have lived with me and my partner since June 2017 part time (3 nights per week). My partner (not married) pay maintenance through his own arrangements with his EW.

When filling in forms/ renewing our bills, can the children be counted as dependants even though they do not live with us full time?

In a similar thread, would we be entitled to apply for any deductions or income support? The childrens mother claims the child benefit, income support and child tax credits.

TIA

No, the children can only be claimed for by one household - the mother technically has predominant custody because she has them 4 days a week which is more than their father.
Is he paying maintenance based on having them 3 nights a week? Because it should be at a reduced rate if so.
Child benefit is claimed by the parent where the children are registered for school as that home is classed as their official address.

Also you personally wouldn’t be entitled to claim anything as they are not your children, unless you obtained guardianship meaning you’d have parental rights... which you can do if the mother has them

@winosaurus - thank you I thought as much - I just get confused when the question gets asked if any dependants live in our house. He pays the rate on the government calculator but privately.

It does seem unfair though that she’s receiving maintenance and all the benefits that come with being the resident parent when custody is pretty evenly split. But unfortunately the system is what it is

@winosaurus - money is quite tight for us as in addition to paying the maintanence we also pay half of the mortgage on her house (my DP part owns it and she has threatened to move away if they had to sell the house - so we're doing it for the kids really), our own rent and bills. We also end up paying for the majority of their clothing etc. I will never see them go wihout

He should be paying minimum maintenance though or if he pays quite a bit, that should be on the understanding that what she buys them is not just for use there. Are there any childcare costs? If so, how are these paid for?

@swingofthings - He does pay maintenance. No fortunately there are no childcare costs, my DP mum is fantastic and does the school pick ups etc.

He shouldn’t be paying half the mortgage on a house she lives in? They they agreed their finances as part of the divorce? If she lives in the house she has to pay for it (my OH’s EW tried to pull a similar stunt). He was paying the mortgage in full for many years after they split. He reduced it down to half after 4 years and she went mad. When they got to court and she wanted my OH to pay the mortgage in full for another 10 years until the youngest was 18, a judge ordered that as she lived their she had to pay the mortgage in full. Oh and as she can’t get a mortgage and can’t afford to live tgeircshe has to sell by X date. She can’t hold the dad to ransom.