Marriage and low income couples

Hannahshouts

Apologies if this has already been asked/covered before but I can't find any mention of it.

I'm looking for information on the (if any) benefits of marrying if you are on a low income.

My partner and I are 33 and 28 respectively he is self employed and scraping out an existence hiring PA sound equipment and I work part time as a manual handler trainer and assessor.
We are both on tax credits and do not declare ourselves as an official couple in anyway. As it would effect what help we get.

We have no savings, a manageable amount of debt and are looking to get married. (Just a quick trip to a registry office nothing grand) Would there be any financial benefits available to us if we did this?

I read about all the different tax breaks available to married couples but it really seems to apply to couples who are suitably comfortable and/or have property, inheritance on the way. We have none of these.

I'm worried that we would be penalised for having joint money when we barely scrape by each month as we are.I'm talking beans on toast for a week at the end of each months pay cheque.

Any advice would be greatly received as we want to be husband and wife without making our lives harder!

Wilma33

Do you live together now?

Wilma33

If you do live together now, are you committing benefit fraud by not making a joint benefits claim?

If you don't live together now, you will save loads of money by running one household together rather than two separate ones.

podperson

I'm a little confused, it's living together as a couple that will affect your benefits not whether you're actually married or not - ie me and OH aren't married but since we live together as a couple then we have to make joint claims for any benefits. In some cases we would probably get more by making two separate individual claims but then that would be benefit fraud!

So either you're living together now, in which case you need to change your claims to joint ones asap - or you're planning on moving in together in which case again whether you get married or not first will make little difference as either way you would need to then claim as a couple.

McKneff

What are these tax breaks for married couples. As far as I know there are none.

If you know of some, let us all know please.

Wilma33

McKneff wrote: »

What are these tax breaks for married couples. As far as I know there are none.

If you know of some, let us all know please.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/tax/9324479/The-tax-advantages-of-getting-married.html

kloana

Hannahshouts wrote: »

We are both on tax credits and do not declare ourselves as an official couple in anyway. As it would effect what help we get.

Without passing any personal judgement upon your relationship and its circumstances, I think you need to read these, before you continue to claim tax credits:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/tctmanual/tctm09330.htm

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/tctmanual/TCTM09340.htm (this in particular)

McKneff

Wilma33 wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/tax/9324479/The-tax-advantages-of-getting-married.html

I have read that before and so am aware of it.

The OP is talking about immediate tax breaks. Or at least that is the impression Im getting from their circumstances.

Sensible_Jess

Hi OP
It's one of life's little ironies that whilst living together the benefits system will see you as no different to a married couple.

Unfortunately should you split up, or should one of you become seriously ill or pass away, the law automatically treats couples who live together quite differently to those who are married. This is where the main so-called 'benefit' to being married lies.

I am unsure how having children whilst living together versus being married is treated (you don't mention this possibility in your post)

In short, as other posters have said, there's no immediate financial gain to be had by tying the knot!

pinkladyof66

seems to me as if op and husband to be are committing fraud and the audacity to come on here for assistance !!!

Wilma33

We don't know they live together!