Question about getting married and living apart or together with benefits

Theresa18

Hi

Myself and my partner are looking to get married. We would like to find out if getting married and living apart would affect our benefits PIP and UC? And also weather living together with or without being married would affect our benefits to? Would anyone in Consensus know or give any advise on this or do you have any advise on this

Theresa18

Please ignore the word Consensus

Albus_Scope

hey there @Theresa18 and welcome to the community.

If you live with your partner, regardless of marital status, you will make a joint claim for Universal Credit. Your joint income and savings will be assessed to determine your payment amount. You will receive one monthly Universal Credit payment, and you'll need to decide which bank account it's paid into. PIP would be unaffected.

Theresa18

OK what if we marry and not live together would that affect us?

Albus_Scope

I'm not 100% on this, but I believe if there's any kind of financial dependency between a couple, then it will still be one claim? Though I have seen people saying it's only affected if you're living together.

I'm hoping one of the regulars will be able to give a definite answer here. If not it may be worth asking Citizens advice.

Ranald

I lived apart from my wife, but it was only until we could get the divorce sorted out! ;-)

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1023500#Comment_1023500

As long as two people don't live together, they can keep two single UC claims, even if they are married.

Albus_Scope

Ah brilliant, thanks for the clarification @OverlyAnxious most appreciated. 😊