Child Maintenance - report it? count towards living costs?

@ksand24 Thank you again! And any idea about the bank statements if he's on PIP? All the wording makes it sound like once you're exempt from the standard financial requirements, you only need to include one bank statement showing all the various payments in and out (so long as its recent, of course). Should we just include them all just in case? Or is giving them more info than needed just inviting them to find issues where there should be none?

@ksand24 Thank you again! And any idea about the bank statements if he's on PIP? All the wording makes it sound like once you're exempt from the standard financial requirements, you only need to include one bank statement showing all the various payments in and out (so long as its recent, of course). Should we just include them all just in case? Or is giving them more info than needed just inviting them to find issues where there should be none?

From what I can gather, he needs to provide:

For evidence of the benefits he receives:
a) Official documentation from the Department for Work and Pensions or Veterans Agency confirming the current entitlement and the amount currently received.
b) At least one personal bank statement in the 12 month period prior to the date of application showing payment of the amount of the benefit or allowance to which the person is currently entitled into their account.

For evidence of his rent and council tax amounts and payments:
a) A letter from the landlord or mortgage provider detailing the weekly or monthly rental or mortgage cost of the property;
b) At least one personal bank statement to show the rent/mortgage payment leaving the account of the sponsor, their partner or the couple jointly;
c) Rent book (if available);
d) Letter from the local authority detailing whether and how much Council Tax is payable.

For Evidence of employment income (if applicable):
a) a letter from his employer
b) 6 months of payslips
c) 6 months of bank statements

For Evidence of cash savings (if applicable):
a) 6 months of bank statements showing the savings
b) a declaration of the source of the savings

_________________________________________________ ___________________


So, assuming he is not employed and neither of you have savings to use towards the finances, he would need to provide:

1) letter from the DWP confirming his benefits
2) at least 1 bank statement showing his benefits being paid in AND rent/council tax being paid out
3) letter from landlord/mortgage provider stating rent/mortgage payment amount
4) letter from the council stating council tax payment amount

@ksand24

Ok this is perfect clarification, thank you!

He is employed as well, so I will be including at least 6 months of bank statements and payslips for that (I have 12 months of each, just in case). It all makes much more sense the way you laid it out, thank you again. Do people usually make copies of the bank statements and highlight the various payments/deposits and group with their respective sections of evidence within the application? Or do they just include all the statements in one group and assume the Entry Clearance Officer will go back and look up the transactions themselves?

He is employed as well, so I will be including at least 6 months of bank statements and payslips for that (I have 12 months of each, just in case). It all makes much more sense the way you laid it out, thank you again. Do people usually make copies of the bank statements and highlight the various payments/deposits and group with their respective sections of evidence within the application? Or do they just include all the statements in one group and assume the Entry Clearance Officer will go back and look up the transactions themselves?

The requirements for the payslips, bank statements and employer letter are strict.

- The most recent of both the payslips and bank statements, and the employer letter must be dated within 28 days of the online application date.

- They must cover the full 6 months. Don't send 12 months, they are unnecessary - if they wanted 12 months, it would say so in the guidance.

- You should send photocopies of all the original documents you would like to be returned to you

- You should not highlight or amend anything on the bank statements or photocopies

- The bank statements must either be:
a) originals sent in the post
or
b) if they are printed from online banking they must either be:
i) accompanied by a letter from the bank on official stationary, confirming their authenticity, or
ii) stamped/signed by the bank on every single page

- The payslips must either be:
a) officially issued hard copies
or
b) if they are printed from online, they must be accompanied by a letter from the employer confirming their authenticity

The employer letter must confirm all of the following:
- the employment,
- the gross annual salary/income
- the annual salary/income after income tax and National Insurance contributions
- how long the employment has been held
- the type of employment (permanent, fixed-term contract or agency).

See page 14 of the Maintenance guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/636618/Appendix_FM_1_7_Financial_Requirement_Final.pdf

and Appendix FM-SE which specifies the required format of the payslips, bank statements and employer letter:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-fm-se-family-members-specified-evidence

@ksand24 Ok lovely! Looks like I have everything I need then. Now I just have to wait for the documents to arrive from my husband and then I can get this show on the road!