Umme Haani
1
Assalamu alaykum
When I first got married almost 23 years ago my husband was working in the family business like he had been since he was 16, and so he still wasn’t earning a proper wage. However after my son was born he applied for working family tax credit and child tax credit and ‘adjusted’ the records to be eligible. (In fact he showed he was earning more than he was receiving as his wage was too low to be eligible). And he again adjusted the records to remain eligible when I started teaching in maktab.
Some time ago there was a mixup and we stopped receiving one of the benefits and so started receiving free school meals instead. However my husband sorted it out straight away and we started receiving both benefits again, but the free school meal benefits remained. (this included free school trips and a free school uniform voucher and now also includes holiday lunch money vouchers since COVID and there was even a large one off payment last year).
He has called them a few times to cancel but they say we’re eligible and we’re still receiving the free meals and other benefits.
My son doesn’t eat the school meals and I stopped spending the holiday vouchers because I felt it was dishonest and cheating, but I keep receiving them and I’m wondering if it’s allowed for me to use them? My husband has told them to cancel but they aren’t. Can I think of it as Allah’s favours?
He hasn’t been able to work for the past 15 years due to mental health issues, but Alhamdulillah we weren’t really struggling because of his father’s support, but I’m getting a divorce and worried about saving for my future. Alhamdulillah I have my fathers support but I don’t want to be a burden.
