Q) My new partner and her two children recently moved across the border to live with me and my two children.  How will this affect my benefits in NI?

Additional information needed to answer this question:

Client– lives in NI, single parent, not employed.

Children – live with client in NI.

Benefits claimed – UK Child Benefit and Universal Credit which consists of Child Element x 2 and Housing costs for a portion of private rental.

New partner – now lives in NI, not employed, disabled.

Ex-partner – absent

Children –  three children, age 5, 7 and 10. One child is severely disabled and has significant care needs.

A) Based on the above information the family’s social security entitlements are likely to include:

1. The client and his partner can claim Universal Credit as a couple based on residence together in NI. Four of the children can be added to their claim. The youngest can not be considered as their birthday was after 6th April 2017. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-families-with-more-than-2-children-information-for-claimants)
2. The help they get with housing costs will increase slightly as there will be an increase in the Local Housing Allowance rate given the number of people living in the household has increased.
3. They can apply for UK Child Benefit once they have been living in NI for three months*.
4. The client’s partner can also apply for Child Disability Living Allowance once her son has been resident here for six months.
5. At a later stage, Personal Independence Payment could also be an option for the client’s partner if she meets the general conditions including the residence requirement that she has been living in NI for two years out of the last three.
6. If PIP Daily Living component and/or Child DLA becomes payable, there will be scope for Carers Allowance claims.
7. There may also be additional elements added to their Universal Credit claim, e.g. Carers element, Disabled Child Addition, which will require further investigation

* If the absent parent becomes employed in Ireland, the UK may not pay Child Benefit for those children.

Further information:

• Border People Case Study – Moving to NI and claiming social security payments there
• Border People – All Case Studies and FAQs

Page last checked: 15 February 2023

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