Claim uc as a couple or single person

jo0610

My partner and I have two children, one of whom is disabled so I cannot work.   At the moment we claim universal credit as a couple.  

He has been offered a job 200 miles away so will only be able to return home intermittently.  The job is poorly paid at the moment but is in his chosen career and so will lead to much better things so that we can stop claiming universal credit.   The only jobs he could do nearby would means he would forever be on minimum wage and stuck on universal credit forever.  However, because the job is so far away he will have to rent somewhere nearby. 

The question is “am I now able to claim universal credit as a single person.  It is not practical for me to move near to his job any time soon.  

KatrinaWaves

You're not single, so no.

[Deleted User]

jo0610 said:

My partner and I have two children, one of whom is disabled so I cannot work.   At the moment we claim universal credit as a couple.  

He has been offered a job 200 miles away so will only be able to return home intermittently.  The job is poorly paid at the moment but is in his chosen career and so will lead to much better things so that we can stop claiming universal credit.   The only jobs he could do nearby would means he would forever be on minimum wage and stuck on universal credit forever.  However, because the job is so far away he will have to rent somewhere nearby. 

The question is “am I now able to claim universal credit as a single person.  It is not practical for me to move near to his job any time soon.  

 You are a married couple and must claim as such 

TELLIT01

You don't have to be married to be classed as a couple, and the OP hasn't said they are married.  The partner working away from home during the week won't change their status though, and they will continue to be treated as a couple.  Long term separations were sometimes treated differently on legacy benefits but that wouldn't apply here.

jo0610

TELLIT01 said:

You don't have to be married to be classed as a couple, and the OP hasn't said they are married.  The partner working away from home during the week won't change their status though, and they will continue to be treated as a couple.  Long term separations were sometimes treated differently on legacy benefits but that wouldn't apply here.

Many thanks to all who have replied.  We are not married. According to benefits website we must be living at the same address to be a couple.   I doubt whether he will be able to afford to come back once a month let alone once a week.   So why would we be treated as a couple?

KatrinaWaves

jo0610 said:

TELLIT01 said:

You don't have to be married to be classed as a couple, and the OP hasn't said they are married.  The partner working away from home during the week won't change their status though, and they will continue to be treated as a couple.  Long term separations were sometimes treated differently on legacy benefits but that wouldn't apply here.

Many thanks to all who have replied.  We are not married. According to benefits website we must be living at the same address to be a couple.   I doubt whether he will be able to afford to come back once a month let alone once a week.   So why would we be treated as a couple?

Can you please link to the part which says you can only be treated as a couple if you are living together.

jo0610

KatrinaWaves said:

jo0610 said:

TELLIT01 said:

You don't have to be married to be classed as a couple, and the OP hasn't said they are married.  The partner working away from home during the week won't change their status though, and they will continue to be treated as a couple.  Long term separations were sometimes treated differently on legacy benefits but that wouldn't apply here.

Many thanks to all who have replied.  We are not married. According to benefits website we must be living at the same address to be a couple.   I doubt whether he will be able to afford to come back once a month let alone once a week.   So why would we be treated as a couple?

Can you please link to the part which says you can only be treated as a couple if you are living together.

 I cannot do links as I am a new poster.  
It says Guidance
universal credit: further information for couples
Updated 25 July 2019
Is there a further update?

sheramber

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-couples-an-introduction/universal-credit-further-information-for-couples

3. Who can claim?

To claim Universal Credit as a couple, both you and your partner must:

• be living in England, Scotland or Wales
• live at the same address
• be married to each other, civil partners of each other, or living together as if you were married
• not be in full–time advanced education (except in certain circumstances such as if you are responsible for a child, or receive certain disability benefits and have a limited capacity for work)
• not have joint savings or capital over £16,000
• be 18 or over

calcotti

The DWP guidance for assessing whether claimants are a couple is contained in this document https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/864889/adme2.pdf

“E2003 Couple means

1. two people who are married to, or civil partners of, each other and are

members of the same household or

2. two people who are not married to, or civil partners of, each other but are

LTAMC.

E2004 Household is not defined in legislation. It should be given its normal everyday meaning, that is a domestic establishment containing the essentials of home life. Household may refer to people held together by a particular kind of tie, even if temporarily separated. ...

E2005 To be members of the same household means that they

1. live in the same house, flat, apartment, caravan or other dwelling place and neither normally lives in another household and

2. both live there regularly, apart from absences necessary for employment, to visit relatives, etc.”

For couples absences of less than 6 months are generally ignored. I think your situation is unclear and a Decision Maker would need to decide.

tomtom256

No different to a long distance lorry driver, travelling all over europe etc during the week and then coming home.

However the biggest question is, will he be renting a property of his own?

You will also need to consider if he will be sending any money to you and how that may affect a claim?

calcotti

tomtom256 said: However the biggest question is, will he be renting a property of his own?

jo0610 said: ... because the job is so far away he will have to rent somewhere nearby.   

I’d taken renting another property into account in my earlier comments. If he rent some a room a few nights a week somewhere else then he is clearly still normally lives with OP. If he rents a property, or even a room in a shared house, it seems there is a stronger case to say that he is normally lives there.