Post
by John » Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:59 am
rogerq, it is totally OK for you, and certainly not your wife, to claim Child Benefit, and you should do so as soon as possible, given that the start date can only be backdated a maximum of three months.
When did your wife and stepson come to the UK?
Also, Tax Credits! In respect of a couple living together such claims must be made jointly by the couple. However this is not a problem, even though your wife has the "No recourse to Public Funds" restriction on her visa. You are British (or otherwise settled in he UK) and thus some "small print" in the Tax Credits legislation permits your wife to be a joint claimant with you for Tax Credits, without her visa condition being a concern. This is reinforced by rule 6B of the Immigration Rules.
Again the Tax Credits claim can only be backdated a maximum of 3 months, so don't delay.
Your wife already has a NI number? If not the making of the Tax Credits claim will provoke the procedure to get one issued to her, which cannot be a bad thing.
Last edited by
John on Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
John