Losing ESA and HB if moving in with a partner.

AOulton

Hi everyone,

A while ago it came to my attention that if I were to ever move in with a working, non disabled partner, that I would lose my ESA and HB. I thought this was serious enough that I disclosed it to my now girlfriend on our 5th date, but it didn't put her off. It's now come to the point that in the not so distant future we really would like to live together and it makes me so sad that at the moment that seems like an impossibility - at least whilst remaining in London.

Has anyone else encountered this problem? I would really like to try and make a change to the 24 hour cut off policy and viewing couples as one - why should my partner have to pay for me, and why should I be lowered to the level of having to ask for pocket money when the government has agreed I'm not going to be able to work?!

I'm dabbling in a bit of journalism and would love to speak to anyone else who has had their finances cut after moving in with a partner, or can't move in with one because they can't afford to. I'd really, ideally, like to make a lot of noise about this and get the policy changed but finding others in the same situation as me would be a first step!

Thanks
Amy

Geoark

Hello @AOulton

A lot will depend on your partners income and savings as well as the rent you need to pay. Housing benefit would automatically stop when you come of ESA, but this does not mean you can apply directly to the council for housing benefit.

If you have PIP or DLA these should not be affected by your girlfriend moving in.

Unfortunately this situation will potentially affect any person living on benefits who has a partner moving in with them. As we found at my expense when I moved back in with my family if you are on Universal Credit move in any time during the assessment period you lose all of that period's money. In our case 3 weeks rent arrears and an extra month council tax to find.

You can check what, if anything, you may be entitled to by using the benefit calculator at https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/benefits/check

Jsc

Hello i know exactly what you mean me and my patner moved in together , as soon as we moved in my partner lost his esa so we really struggled on just my wages so after 6 months had to move into his parents house which was away from my work ect so basically had to start all over again  and now we been here at his parents two years and he hasnt received no money the whole time and now his mental health has also deteriorated cause and im worried we won't be able to move on just us again unless i had a job which paid lots.
Don't know how they expect people to live like that

MsMediocreMolly

Did you ever figure something out? I am in a similar situation 

poppy123456

MsMediocreMolly said:

Did you ever figure something out? I am in a similar situation 

I answered your question here
https://community.scope.org.uk/discussion/68682/moving-in-with-working-partner-on-support-esa#latest