Is this true?

Mutton_Geoff

Speak to a solicitor and draw up a tenants in common agreement together to recognise your contributions. You should also make a will to cover the event of one of you dying. Many people don't bother and hope for the best, but by the time it does become an issue, you're either not talking as the relationship has broken down or one of you is six feet under. It's best to resolve this important issue at the outset.

supa_nan

Mm. I wonder me and my boyfriend, have cohabited for over 25years (never been one to rush into commitment) I became unemployed and claimed job seekers for 6months, after that period i was told i was'nt entitled to this anymore and made a claim for income based job seekers. This was refused on the grounds that my partner is expected to keep me, he's on low income and tax credits. I enquired if he died would i get a widows pension, was told by the officer it was'nt her department. So it seems that government in some areas treat us as a married couple. And in others if either one of us died, without making a will, then the government would have more right than the survivng partner in the house. Also i would have to pay inheritance tax if its above the threshold. Gap years nearly up better get meself a job.

Natty082

PasturesNew wrote: »

If he's got a nut job ex, it might be that he causes exes to become nut jobs. So protect yourself ... it might not be her, it might be him.

Made me laugh that! I wondered myself if it was him as he never really said why they split up all I know is 'she moved out'

(Found out from a third party) She had an affair with someone at work and left him - it didn't work so she came crawling back - he wouldn't take her back......... and so it began..... that was FOUR years ago!

Thanks for the advice tho - need to protect myself somehow thats why I posted the thread for advice!

xxx

SouthCoast

Advice from CAB:

If you are in an opposite-sex relationship, your rights as a partner may depend on whether you are married or living together. Living together with someone is sometimes also called cohabitation.


Generally speaking, you will have fewer rights if you're living together than if you're married.


This information explains the legal differences between being married and living together. It doesn't cover lesbian and gay partners who can't get married but can enter into a civil partnership.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family_parent/family/cohabitation_and_marriage_legal_differences.htm

3plus1

supa_nan wrote: »

Mm. I wonder me and my boyfriend, have cohabited for over 25years (never been one to rush into commitment) I became unemployed and claimed job seekers for 6months, after that period i was told i was'nt entitled to this anymore and made a claim for income based job seekers. This was refused on the grounds that my partner is expected to keep me, he's on low income and tax credits. I enquired if he died would i get a widows pension, was told by the officer it was'nt her department. So it seems that government in some areas treat us as a married couple. And in others if either one of us died, without making a will, then the government would have more right than the survivng partner in the house. Also i would have to pay inheritance tax if its above the threshold. Gap years nearly up better get meself a job.

Completely agree with you. When my OH moved in with me, he wasn't eligible for JSA either because I was meant to keep him. We didn't get the six months that you did - we got nothing. I think it's terribly hypocritical of the government to sometimes treat me as his 'wife' and at other times, to treat me as 'single'. I think it would be much fairer if they would take a view and either treat all cohabiting couples as single people who are not in any way financially dependent on each other or as married couples with obligations but also rights.

JimmyTheWig

3plus1 wrote: »

When my OH moved in with me, he wasn't eligible for JSA either

Yes, we hit this when my (then) fiancee moved in with me. What really annoys me is that she can't claim any means-tested benefits due to my income but I am unable to use her tax allowance. Again, should be one way or the other.

minimoocow

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Yes, we hit this when my (then) fiancee moved in with me. What really annoys me is that she can't claim any means-tested benefits due to my income but I am unable to use her tax allowance. Again, should be one way or the other.

But you wouldn't be able to use her tax allowance if you were married?

Would be great if they did this - I could afford to stop at home . . . we should start a campaign

iolanthe07

I am surprised that the 'common-law' marriage myth still lives on, despite there being no such thing under English law since Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1753. Some myths are very enduring.

JimmyTheWig

minimoocow wrote: »

But you wouldn't be able to use her tax allowance if you were married?

Correct. We are now married and the situation is still the same. I can't use my wife's tax allowance and she's not entitled to any means tested benefits.

3plus1

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Correct. We are now married and the situation is still the same. I can't use my wife's tax allowance and she's not entitled to any means tested benefits.

Not strictly true. If your wife doesn't earn owt, you could benefit by putting savings in her name. Up to a certain threshhold, she would pay no tax on the savings and receive interest gross (you'd have to fill out a form with the bank first - this isn't automatic).

Over that threshhold, I would say she'd still pay less tax than you, but there isn't a 10% band anymore. So she'd get taxed at the same amount, unless you're a higher rate earner paying 40% tax, in which case you'd still make further savings.

You could also use her ISA allowance.

With unmarried couples, we're not protected in law re who gets what in the event of a split. However, with married couples, the starting point is really half of everything, so it doesn't matter in whose account the money is sitting.

Apologies if the above is hard to follow - I'm off work sick and liable to make little sense.