Since July 2017, each parent with joint custody of their children can benefit from personalized housing assistance (APL). However, many CAFs do not pay it. Here’s why.
For many separated parents, the family allowances and benefits are a real headache to understand. Until a few years ago, having your child at home on joint custody did not allow both parents to receive certain allowances equally, such ashousing assistance (APL) if one of them was already receiving help in his name.
Fortunately, since July 21, 2017, following a decision of the Council of State, things have changed. APLs can now be requested by both parents. Therefore, the famous “principle of uniqueness of the beneficiary”, put forward by the National Family Allowance Fund to pay aid, should no longer be taken into account. But in reality, this is not what is happening. Some CAF continue to apply it and resist. Results ? A number of separated parents do not receive APL.
Why is the APL not shared between the two separated parents?
We contacted the press service of the organization by email to get answers, without success. CAF defended itself in a note sent to the directors and accountants of the funds, revealed by The Independent. She evokes a failure in the computer system. The software of the housing allowance funds would not automatically calculate these shared rights. “Also while waiting for an adaptation of the computer processing, it is important to limit the scope of the sharing to the only express complaints of the beneficiaries”it is specified.
A directive that goes against the law. According to article L583-1 of the Social Security Code: “Organizations that pay family benefits (…) are required in particular to inform recipients of the nature and extent of their rights”.
A situation that drives many separated parents to go as far as justice to claim the assistance to which they are entitled. With each year on average 130,000 divorces grantedthe number of parents potentially concerned is substantial.