# child benefit question (childs dad not living in ireland)



## merille (2 Mar 2012)

hi,

i am living in ireland with my first child since 2008. have been working all along till last year, when i lost my job. also i have been getting child benefit all along for her. her dad doesnt live and work in ireland, he has never been in ireland.

in january this year i gave birth to a baby. both children are living with me full time. im not working at the moment, as i couldnt find any work during my pregnancy.

just got a renewal letter for child benefit and noticed there is stated that i have to let child benefit section know, when my spouse/partner starts to work outside of ireland.  what that means? do i have to let cb section know that the father of my first child lives and works somewhere else? hes not my partner or spouse, we dont have much contact at all. he pays maintainance though.


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## Bronte (6 Mar 2012)

Well if the form asks the question just fill it in.


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## merille (6 Mar 2012)

how i can fill it in if hes not my spouse/partner any more and he hasnt moved anywhere from ireland. he has never been here even.


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## sulo (6 Mar 2012)

I would contact the office directly and ask their advice.  Details are on the Renewal Letter.


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## sean.c (16 Mar 2012)

If he's not your spouse or partner, don't mention it.   Just fill in the childs school or doctor on the back, and send it back, freepost.

Child benefit is paid to the mother of the child (the last bastion of old-fashioned state-sponsered sexism).

As a foreign national, you will get this form every 3 months like clockwork.  Failure to return the form will result in the benefit being stopped.

My wife has been getting this form like clockwork since our daughter was born last year.  She too is a foreign national (and therefore, according to the Child Benefit section, a thieving scammer who must be checked up on every 3 months).  It makes no difference that I'm Irish.  Only the mother's nationality is considered.

Anyway, I'm sure all these forms make a nice pile of work for the Child Benefit section to keep Brendan Howlin and his budgetary knife away.


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