Child Tax Credits and Child Benefit

Hi

I have seen it frequently said that child benefit is a gateway to other benefits as it designates who is the childs main carer.

There are other benefits (housing is one I think) where a claim results in automatic involvement of the CSA to recover from the non-resident parent.

I am also in the situation whereby my stbx is the receipient of CB so I am/may be prevented from claiming CTC.

As our settlement agreed 50:50 division of all assets and 50:50 shared residency for our children, I find myself in a house with equal costs to support 2 kids and no job - yet my ex has a good job, receives CB and can even ask the CSA to force me to pay maintenance!

This is because without CB I am designated the non-resident parent and child poverty legisation requires the NRP to pay maintenance (voluntary or via the CSA).

So being in receipt of CB is v important but I see no way of forcing one parent to give it up.

The only good news I have is that HMRC said I could claim CTC despite not receiving CB - of course the adviser may have been wrong so we'll see if they accept my claim.

Bikeman yes this is right you can get CTC without CB. As I get CTC and my ex gets CB. My ex hassled me for a week telling me she could no longer claim CTC and I show claim it instead (not sure what this was about) I rung and they sent me a form it did ask who gets CB I just put a cover letter to say my ex got this and we do 50:50 with kids and my ex felt we could no longer claim and yes I was successful and got it! As technically as not getting CB classifies you as a NRP although not too sure how common this is