Giving up IS

A question about : Giving up IS

Hi

For the past few years i have been claiming IS as a single parent. My fiance and i would like to live together after christmas, would any one know what im roughly entitled to?

I have been told by others because my fiance isn't the father of the children and im not working i will receive some money for them apart from child benefit. I have been reading up on this but can only find info on maintenance payments that would be due by their father.

would i be totally dependant on my fiance's earnings and wtc? the info i have been reading doesn't make it clear about partners etc, just wanted to know if ppl had any experience from this?

many thanks

Best answers:

• Hi!
  If you live with your fiance then you are classified as a couple/household. Therefore you are no longer a lone parent and would not be entitled to Income Support via this route.
  Any benefits you may be entitled to may well take into account your finace's income. E.G. You could apply for JSA but if you are not entitled to the contribution based JSA then if your fiance is working over 24 hours per week you will not be eligible for Income Based JSA. Bearing in mind that in order to claim either JSA's you must be available for and actively seeking work and be able to prove this at the Jobcentre each fortnight.
  You should put in a new claim to tax credits, you may get working tax credit if your fiance is not earning enough to support the whole faimly.
  The fact your fiance is not the father of your children is not taken into acount by any of the benefit systems, tax credits etc. (Apart from CSA who would not chase him for maintenance if you subsequently broke up - hopefully that won't happen!).
  Hope this helps!
  Emmacw