How much information does a claimant's partner need to give?

offthegrid

I've been living "off the grid" for 7 years. I had a brief spell of being on JSA in 2008, and ever since then I've had no address, no official employment, and very little income. I was essentially homeless, although I wasn't sleeping on park benches, I was living with travellers, staying with friends, camping, sleeping in a car - a whole bunch of stuff. I lived off a lump sum I got from family, and a few bits of income I got from a website I owned, though I never got anywhere near the first tax band. I do have a bank account which has been registered to my dad's house, though I'm led to believe I was naughty to do this, since I didn't actually live there (didn't realize it was a big deal).

I want to quit all this and settle down since I have a girlfriend who wants me to move in with her, and get a job, etc. My girlfriend lives in a council flat, and is on ESA for disability reasons. I don't have any income at the moment, and I don't intend on claiming any benefit for myself so this won't be a joint claim. However I don't want to mess up her benefit, or council flat and all that. Obviously I want to do this above board, and let the Job Centre and council know that we're cohabiting.

My question is what stuff are the Job Centre and the council going to require from me, and am I likely to get myself in to trouble for the way I lived? I don't really have any paper trail, other than a small amount of monthly website money that got paid in to my account (this ended 6 months ago or more when I lost the site). Are they going to want to pick over my accounts, when I'm not claiming anything, just because I cohabit with someone who is? Am I going to have to be involved in her benefit claims at all?

There's all sorts of stuff I can't tell them without getting the people who gave me temporary accommodation in trouble for having done so (some of the people weren't allowed to have long term guests). I don't' know if I was supposed to have registered for tax and everything because of the website money (we're talking a couple hundred quid a month off and on, and no income from other sources in that whole time.) Am I going to get in to trouble for having a bank but not a house? Are they going to be sceptical that her partner isn't working *or* claiming benefit (I'd rather just go without until I get a job)?

I just want to stop living this way, and "go normal" and all that of stuff without getting myself or any one else in trouble.

Thanks.

seven-day-weekend

I'm no expert, but if you have lived 'off the grid' and not claimed any State money during that time, I don't see as you have done anything wrong.

As for your website money,if it is only a couple of hundred a month then that would not be enough to have to pay any tax.

I'm not sure what the situation is like with National Insurance. I think possibly you should have registered for a small earnings exemption, but I can't see as it's going to be a problem if you have never earned enough to pay any. (Hopefully you will be able to get proof of the earnings from your website).

As for living with your friends, surely anyone is allowed to have guests for a while?

Your small income will be taken into account for the purpose of your girlfriend's ESA Benefits, but not DLA if she claims this..

This is my take, I'm sure someone will be along who knows more.

Londonsu

If your partner is claiming income based benefits and you move in with her then it will be a joint claim whether you are claiming benefits or not, she cannot claim as a single person as the 'household' income has to be taken into account and must give the benefit agency and council change of circumstance information if she fails to do and they find out she will get into a lot of trouble.

Yes they may be sceptical that you manage to live with no income and no benefits and you may have to show paperwork like bank accounts to prove it.


You wont get into trouble for anything that happened before you were part of a couples claim (as far as I know) but as soon as you move in with her then they have the right to know your circumstances.


If she is on contribution based ESA or any other benefits that are not means tested then that's different.


I don't know enough about ESA but certainly if it was a JSA couples claim you would have to prove that you are looking for work.


People seem to think that if one member of a couple is not claiming benefits then the dwp will not investigate but they can (and rightly so IMO) investigate the financial circumstances of any one who is part of a couples claim

offthegrid

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

As for living with your friends, surely anyone is allowed to have guests for a while?

Though completely financially independent of them, and not eating their food or whatever, I think it changes what benefits and taxes they should have been paying. Also, if you're a council tenant, you're not supposed to have undeclared people living in your house, even though I was only there for like a few three week stretches over the course of 7 years.

I'm not sure to be honest. Point is I don't want someone to get hassled because they made the mistake of being kind to me.

Londonsu wrote: »

People seem to think that if one member of a couple is not claiming benefits then the dwp will not investigate but they can (and rightly so IMO) investigate the financial circumstances of any one who is part of a couples claim

What about if it's just a single person's claim for a person who is in a couple? Obviously they need to check house hold income for eligibility, but do they need me to go in there, and sign, and do all their stuff if we're not asking for the couple's rate?

tomtom256

offthegrid wrote: »

Though completely financially independent of them, and not eating their food or whatever, I think it changes what benefits and taxes they should have been paying. Also, if you're a council tenant, you're not supposed to have undeclared people living in your house, even though I was only there for like a few three week stretches over the course of 7 years.

I'm not sure to be honest. Point is I don't want someone to get hassled because they made the mistake of being kind to me.



What about if it's just a single person's claim for a person who is in a couple? Obviously they need to check house hold income for eligibility, but do they need me to go in there, and sign, and do all their stuff if we're not asking for the couple's rate?

If you are a couple and living as a couple you have no choice but to claim as a couples.

By virtue of living together as a couple you become a couple and therefore have to claim as a couple.

If the benefit is not means tested then it won't be a problem.

offthegrid

tomtom256 wrote: »

If you are a couple and living as a couple you have no choice but to claim as a couples.

By virtue of living together as a couple you become a couple and therefore have to claim as a couple.

If the benefit is not means tested then it won't be a problem.

So they'd actually *force* us to claim more money?

missleigh

Yes, you will be, in effect, "forced" to claim more cash, if, as already stated, it is a means tested benefit.

Also, the likelihood of them asking a lot of questions is very low. Your partner will be required to advise the DWP of the date you have moved in, your name, date of birth and national insurance number, and whether you have worked over the last 12 months. If, like you, you have not worked in the last 12 months, they may ask how you have provided for yourself. Most responses, such as receiving help from family and friends, or inheritance (so long as it is not over the savings threshold for the relevant benefits) will not invite further questioning.

There is no need for you to disclose any details of the friends who have provided you with a place to stay. You are not completing a credit application, they do not need to know your last three years address history, or anything such like, just your current address and a postal address, if different.

Hope this helps, offthegrid. Let your new partner enjoy the extra cash!

Londonsu

offthegrid wrote: »

So they'd actually *force* us to claim more money?

No one is forcing you to do anything but they have the right to ensure that one half of a couple has not got any income or savings that the other can 'draw' on, that's why its household income that checked to ensure its not above the threshold for IR benefits and that's why your partner cannot claim as a single person.


Believe me I have a lot more reason then you do to think the rules are 'unfair' but I don't

TELLIT01

If you move in with your girlfriend she will lose and Council Tax Reduction she may be receiving as sole occupant of a property. She would also lose any premiums paid on ESA which relate to living alone.
Her claim would change from single person to couple if her current claim is Income Related. Crazily, to my mind, her base benefit would increase by roughly £40 per week and you could just sit on your butt doing nothing (I know that is not your intention). As long as you are named as her partner on her ESA claim you will not be forced to seek work.

missapril75

offthegrid wrote: »

I want to quit all this and settle down since I have a girlfriend who wants me to move in with her, and get a job, etc.

TELLIT01 wrote: »

...As long as you are named as her partner on her ESA claim you will not be forced to seek work.

Being off the grid for so long might, in the Job Centre's eyes, place you at a disadvantage in he job market.

That might present a difficulty in what they want you to do to get a job - like courses. That might be a good thing (since you don't pay for it) or it might be a bad thing, depending on your point of view.

But as part of her ESA claim you could be left to your own devices to find work instead of forced into things you don't necessarily want to do.

BigAunty

You need 35 years worth of NI contributions to get a full state pension. You should consider paying the stamp for the missing years. Think you can pay for the last 5 missing years. The direct gov website will tell you how to get an NI statement and voluntary contributions.