Disabled Benefits and Relationships

RobinHill

This may be of interest to some people on here ... https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/575206

jewelly

If they are disabled they would still keep their DLA or PIP which is designed to pay for any extra expenses due to their disability. I don’t see why they should be treated any differently from anyone else on ESA or UC. It is cheaper for two to live together than alone which is why they would lose some of their ESA or UC - depending on the partners income. 

I will not be signing this petition.

RobinHill

jewelly: It is questionable that someone who has no prospect of gaining employment due to their lasting disability, when entering into a relationship has no choice other than to lose their financial independence. Able bodied and develop a relationship, then a choice is available as to whether one is supported by the other or not. For the long term disabled person, there is no choice. This impedes their freedom to form relationships, and exposes them to a disproportionate risk of abuse. See government paper below.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480942/Disability_and_domestic_abuse_topic_overview_FINAL.pdf

On a lighter and crazier note ... should an individual, disabled or able bodied, enter into a polyamorous relationship then bizarrely their benefit entitlement is left intact. Something to do with case law only recognising monogamy ... "Members of a multiple relationship are treated as single claimants".

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/661551/adme4.pdf

Mnoee

I  know this is an older thread, but there was a relevant BBC article today: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/disability-57482418

It's something that's affected me personally and I can see both points of view. The current system and proposed solution is very black and white, and there's other easy to implement options - a higher earnings limit for couples where one is in the ESA support group, a cohabitation transition period where you keep existing benefits for a year, or higher savings limits for couples (off the top of my head!) These would help mitigate the very real risk of ending up in a cohabiting relationship you cannot leave due to lack of funds.