Cohabiting and benefits

dseventy

Haily111 wrote: »

D70 thank you for the advice. Most questions would probably be yes apart from the cards I suppose. He doesn't really contribute due to us only 'living' like this since November and it is not something we have spoken about. It's just something that happened.

I just can't see how you can try to stretch the defination of a couple to "keep state money" yet you allow your partner to live rent free in your house for 7 nights, providing heat, water, electric etc etc and not ask for a penny.

Even adult children have to pay some kind of board etc.

D70

tomjonesrules

HappyMJ wrote: »

That meets the requirements for my lodger.

My lodger keeps his clothes at my house. His christmas cards are up in the lounge. We eat together. We shop together for groceries. The neighbours don't know anything.

And you declare his rent payments for tax purposes, yes?

dseventy

HappyMJ wrote: »

That meets the requirements for my lodger.

My lodger keeps his clothes at my house. His christmas cards are up in the lounge. We eat together. We shop together for groceries. The neighbours don't know anything.

Do you refer to your lodger as a partner?

D70

HappyMJ

tomjonesrules wrote: »

And you declare his rent payments for tax purposes, yes?

No. No need to.

dseventy wrote: »

Do you refer to your lodger as a partner?

D70

No. I consider my girlfriend my partner-almost...but not as LTAHAW.

tomjonesrules

HappyMJ wrote: »

No. No need to.

No. I consider my girlfriend my partner-almost...but not as LTAHAW.

So the income falls under the Rent a Room scheme?

Do they share your bed?

You are working on semantics, whereas HMRC will take a common sense approach. It's pretty easy to differentiate between a lodger and a lover, isn't it?

HappyMJ

tomjonesrules wrote: »

So the income falls under the Rent a Room scheme?

Do they share your bed?

You are working on semantics, whereas HMRC will take a common sense approach. It's pretty easy to differentiate between a lodger and a lover, isn't it?

Yes.

No, but my girlfriend does...but the HMRC are not allowed to ask that question.

Yes I was working on semantics and the questions asked would have made my lodger a partner. It's more than that.

tomjonesrules

HappyMJ wrote: »

Yes.

No, but my girlfriend does...but the HMRC are not allowed to ask that question.

Yes I was working on semantics and the questions asked would have made my lodger a partner. It's more than that.

It has been pointed out several times that HMRC will look at the whole situation - there is no one definitive question. dseventy has pointed out some of the things that they look at, and his information is correct. HMRC can and do ask whether two people share a bedroom (and hence, by implication, a bed).

HappyMJ

tomjonesrules wrote: »

It has been pointed out several times that HMRC will look at the whole situation - there is no one definitive question. dseventy has pointed out some of the things that they look at, and his information is correct. HMRC can and do ask whether two people share a bedroom (and hence, by implication, a bed).

Sharing a bed is not an indication of LTAHAW. They don't ask or try to draw conclusions from that.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/ccmmanual/ccm15120.htm
sexual relationships of a casual nature, where neither partner has any lasting commitment to the other, are a common feature of contemporary life.

Marisco

Talk about nit picking!!!! It seems pretty obvious from what the op has posted that they are living together, and I'm sure that's how the "powers that be" will view it as well. Otherwise, what's to stop anyone renting a place and getting their mail delivered there, and the "partner" claiming all they can at another address, but living with the "renter"?

stroodes

haily
get it sorted with b/f, o/h
its really all or nothing, but whatever you do do not be a lodger with HappyMJ
good luck