Jsa and living seperatly

lataniakn

My boyfriend was made redundant from his part time job a couple of months ago. he's been trying to find work but so far no luck. So far i've managed to struggle to pay the bills and keep up to date with things but now its increasingly becoming difficult for me to support 2 people on what I earn. The only thing we're entitled to is some working tax credit as i work over the 30 hours.

He cannot claim jsa as he's not paid enough national insurace over the years and is only entitled to income based JSA but as we're a couple and i'm working, it equals to £0. Also I'm earning just over enough to not be entitled to council tax benefit or LHA.

Even though he's not happy with the idea I've asked him to move back to his mothers house and take his name off everything here and we act as partners visiting me maybe a few times a week. Then he can get JSA, i can get housing benefit and single persons discount on council tax and things should be manageable.

He contributes to nothing in the household anyway, so i dont think i see a problem with this but wanted to ask if this was ok? And if so how many nights a week is he officially allowed to be here?

alwaysonthego_2

You will still be classed as a couple for benefit purposes and to live apart in order to claim benefits is fraud.

There is no official amount of nights.

SomeBozo

You have only chose to circumstances to claim benefits.

You are still a couple, there is no "set number of nights".

Bozo

lataniakn

ah ok i didn't realise that....

But for theory purposes, what if we'd never lived together in the first place and lived in our own seperate places and dated as boyfriend and girlfriend. we wouldn't be classed as a couple then.

This is where my thinking came from, you see.

alwaysonthego_2

lataniakn wrote: »

ah ok i didn't realise that....

But for theory purposes, what if we'd never lived together in the first place and lived in our own seperate places and dated as boyfriend and girlfriend. we wouldn't be classed as a couple then.

This is where my thinking came from, you see.

No you could be classed as a couple if you have never lived together, there is lots of criteria the DWP look at such as time spent together, how you look like to other people, eating meals together and holidays.

lataniakn

hmm ok.... wish there was a plan B........

NASA_2

Living Together interviews arent a completely financial thing but the updated guidance is mainly focused on that.

I think what your suggesting is something you could possibly 'get away with' but morally its wrong if you are a couple to claim seperately.

Bogof_Babe

I have to say I see where the OP is coming from. Boyfriend/girlfriend relationships don't count as being a couple as far as benefits are concerned, if one is living with parents or elsewhere. If a couple split up and one moves out, but they remain friends, surely they count as two separate households then. Their sex life is no business of anyone but themselves is it? There must be lots of couples living separately but having a healthy love life!

I'd say this is a grey area.

lataniakn

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

Their sex life is no business of anyone but themselves is it? There must be lots of couples living separately but having a healthy love life.

i wish it was a healthy relationship but, hey, that's another story, for another time, for another forum, for another post.......

alwaysonthego_2

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

Their sex life is no business of anyone but themselves is it?

Not when they are claiming state benefits it's not!

This is one of the criteria that the DWP look at whether the couple have a sexual relationship.

terryw

alwaysonthego wrote: »

No you could be classed as a couple if you have never lived together, there is lots of criteria the DWP look at such as time spent together, how you look like to other people, eating meals together and holidays.

The main criteria is if there is a financial relationship or not. If the OP's friend lives at a completely separate address to which he contibutes financially then it is most unlikely that the government departments involved in the administration of benefits would ever contend or prove that they were living together as husband and wife when they are obviously not.