TCTM02205 - Entitlement: CTC entitlement

Disputes in responsibility

The Child Tax Credit Regulations 2002, Reg. 3(1), Rule 3.

Where two or more people are unable to agree on who has main responsibility for a child or qualifying young person, the Commissioners for HM Revenue & Customs may determine who has the main responsibility based on the information available to them at the time of the decision.

Facts that can be considered as indicating whether a claimant has the main responsibility for a child when the Commissioners for HM Revenue & Customs are trying to decide who has main responsibility include:

  • Who the child or qualifying young person normally lives with and where they keep the majority of their belongings such as clothes, toys
  • Who is responsible for the day to day spending for the child or qualifying young person such as buying clothes, food and providing pocket money
  • Who the main contact is for school/college/nursery/childcare
  • Who is responsible for the health care and hygiene of the child or qualifying young person such as making appointments with the doctor/dentist, doing the child or qualifying young person's laundry
  • What is the registered address for contact for the school/college/nursery/child care, healthcare
  • Who has legal custody of the child or qualifying young person.

This list is not exhaustive.

A fact that must not be considered as indicating whether a claimant has the main responsibility for a child or qualifying young person when the Commissioners for HM Revenue & Customs are trying to decide who has main responsibility, is who receives Child Benefit for the child or qualifying young person