The way child maintenance affects benefits changed on 27 October 2008. If you’re the parent with the main day-to-day care and you’re on benefits, you can now choose to arrange child maintenance through a private agreement, the Child Support Agency (CSA) or the courts.
Also, in the past, any child maintenance you or your partner were getting may have reduced the amount of income-related benefits you could get. But since 12 April 2010, this reduction has no longer applied so you may be better off.
Council Tax Benefit or Housing Benefit
- Any child maintenance money you receive has no effect on Council Tax or Housing Benefit.
Tax Credit award
- Any child maintenance money you receive has no effect on your Tax Credit award.
