Currently on JSA & mortgage help - do I lose it if I get married?

mikey_bach

there has to be a very good reason why you can't live together, eg
If one of the couple is disabled and neither property is suitable then this may be allowed, until a suitable property can be found.
it would be up to a SDM to decide
You would have to notify the department about your change in circumstance when it happens.
I think you would have to see what happens then, surely you would not just get married if you could carry on claiming benefits.
Think not

pmlindyloo

Found this on another thread:

QUOTE

These things are not always as obvious as people think.

For benefit purposes (means tested ones) there is a definition of a couple. It includes reference to living in the same household.

Then there is a definition of a household.

For two people to be assessed as a couple - whether married or not - they have to be sharing the same household OR not in the same household currently but that they have been sharing and will be again.

eg they are temporarily out of their home, say, at their respective parents' homes waiting to move back in after repairs or they are between homes - not having moved into a new one yet.

If they marry but they are not yet living in the same household and have not lived in the same household, they are not a couple (in the same household) for benefit purposes.

For benefit purposes, the idea has always been that couples - whether married or not - are treated the same. If two people in a long term relationship decide to move in together, they are not a couple for benefit purposes until they physically share a household.

So as not to discriminate, the same applies to a married couple for benefit purposes.

It's much more likely that a couple will marry and take it upon themselves to "be a couple" so the issue seldom arises.



Interesting and , at least for me, surprising. A reference from some government guidance might be useful if someone can find one.

sammyjammy

To me if she is only living in her house during the week for the convenience of work and living with you at weekends then you are a couple and benefit entitlement should cease but as has been said you'll only know when you ask them.

Poppie68

I agree with Sammyjammy..you will be no different than any other couple that live apart during the week for work purposes, they are seen as living together and any means tested benefits are affected.

NYM

Not really sure if this applies as this is for Tax Credits,
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/claiming/get-started/joint-single-claim.htm

Make a joint claim if either of the following happens:

you start living with your partner as though you are married or in a civil partnership

you get married or enter into a civil partnership -

even if you don’t live together

shop-to-drop

Can it really be the case that in circumstances like this mortgages are paid with taxes for a married couples second home where only one of them works? Surely not!

NYM

shop-to-drop wrote: »

Can it really be the case that in circumstances like this mortgages are paid with taxes for a married couples second home where only one of them works? Surely not!

You'd hope not !

Poppie68

Whats to say in a case like this the JSA claimant is'nt staying with the spouse/partner in the other home anyway..i take it situations like this are'nt checked?

cattermole

In one way though from a benefit point of view it is no different to being a girlfriend and boyfriend.

People could marry purely for religious reasons and not necessarily live together for example they may not believe in sex outside of marriage.
So I can see why the DWP would look at it like that if they were genuinely not living together in the same household.

Poppie68

cattermole wrote: »

In one way though from a benefit point of view it is no different to being a girlfriend and boyfriend.

People could marry purely for religious reasons and not necessarily live together for example they may not believe in sex outside of marriage.
????????????????


So I can see why the DWP would look at it like that if they were genuinely not living together in the same household.

The reason they are not 'together' during the week is that her house is nearer her work place but they live together at weekends...no different than others that are seen to be living together for benefit purposes but work away during the week and go home to spend the weekend at home.