Can I get married without losing everything?

CptnVimes

I’m severely disabled and live alone. I’m on all the expected benefits and am in adapted social housing. I’ve been very lucky in the help I’ve been given.

I’ve now been in a happy relationship for a couple of years, we live separately but spend a lot of time together. We are getting on a bit now and I feel I’d love to get married. However unfortunately we can’t afford for them to support me financially so have to continue as we are. I see a lot of my married friends now living separately (due to relationship breakdown) but still remaining married for the time being and it got me thinking - am I allowed to be married but not live with them as a dependent? I’m not trying to pull a fast one I just really would like to deepen our commitment to each other.

Advice welcome, judgement less so!

El_Torro

The government isn't going to force you to live together if you get married.

One concern (which I suspect is your main concern) is what happens to your benefits if you do get married? Depending on your partner's financial situation it's possible that your benefits will be reduced when you get married. I don't think we can comment much further than that without knowing a bit more about your financial situation, and that of your partner.

itsthelittlethings

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82031562#Comment_82031562

I thought it was only living together that affected benefits, not being married, if you live apart.

CptnVimes

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82031562#Comment_82031562

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82031562#Comment_82031562

I am not able to work and on UC,ESA, HB and PIP. My partner is employed with a regular income. If we cohabited I’d lose it all bar PIP. As much as we’d both love to do this we just can’t afford it. I wish very much that it were different.

Robbie64

You can get married and so long as you don't live together then you can continue to get benefits as a single person. The DWP may want to visit you though to check that you both do live independent of each other.

NedS

As others have said, the key here is if you live together at the same address. If you maintain two separate addresses, then you are each entitled to claim benefits as single people.

The question asked is do you live with a partner? The answer to that question would remain to be no.

You can use a benefit calculator such as EntitledTo to hypothetically calculate how much benefit you would get if you were to move in together. Although you'd receive less total benefit as a couple overall, you would only have the expense of maintaining one property (one lot of rent, one set of utility bills, one council tax etc).

nannytone_2

as you receive both ESA and UC, am I correct in assuming it is contributions based or new style ESA?

If so, are you in the support group?

if the answer is yes, you will continue to get ESA until you are assessed as fit for work regardless of if your partner moves in with

CptnVimes

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82031741#Comment_82031741

I was just on ESA contribution based, then when that ran out it went to income based and then somewhat recently they moved me to UC with still some ESA. It’s a little confusing to me but I think that’s correct. I am not required to look for work due to my condition so I’m not sure if that counts as support group.
to be clear, we have zero intention on living together, unless we have a miraculous windfall. Just would like to make this commitment to each other officially.

nannytone_2

if you are still receiving ESA then it isn't income related, as this is what UC replaced, along with housing benefit and other benefits that don't apply to you.

no oone on ESA is required to look for work, regard.regard.ess of which froup they are IIn, so that doesn't definitely mean you are in thee support group.

I do suspect you are though.

The support group pays around 145 a week and depending on the rate of PIP, you have the potential of aan UUnaffected Income of around 1200 every 4 weeks.

you then would onlu have 1 lot of housing costs and 1 set of bills PLUS the addition of your partners IIncome.

2 people living together is much more economical than 2 people livinliving Seperately and running 2 homes.

I thinkIthinknk you need to check and understand the figures before dismissidismissing the idea of living together

teaselMay

It would seem very unlikely that it would be economically better to live apart than together. You'd still receive PIP in the same amount as now, and it sounds as though you'd also still receive ESA. If you lived together you'd have one lot of rent, one set of utility bills, insurance, one lot of furniture and appliances to maintain, no travel between homes.

Bemmy2525

Living together isn't as bad as people think…one set of bills, one set of rent, cheaper food costs. At least you would keep your PIP and ESA if contribution based. Me and my partner(he gets PIP, UC etc)moved to separate properties and our living expenses are way more expensive now than living together, he's no better off either.