Can ex husband cook for me once or twice a month?

rosewright71
rosewright71 Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
edited October 14 in Universal Credit (UC)

Hello,

I just wanted to ask a question. I am a single disabled woman on universal credit who struggles to look after myself practically and prepare food etc. I am diabetic and often go ages without eating a proper cooked meal. I just wanted to know whether the DWP will have a problem if my ex-husband (who shares the same address - we otherwise live entirely separate lives with separate everything) cooks for both of us when he comes home (once or twice a month maximum)? Will that be considered too much? Please let me know what you think.

Many thanks in advance 

Comments

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 2,118 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @rosewright71, I wouldn't think that'd be a problem, it's not very often. Is there anyone that could help you with preparing food so you're getting more cooked meals? Or have you looked at easier meals to cook? I struggle too with preparing meals, so I understand 😊

  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 15,286 Championing

    I get the feeling you're asking with regard to it affecting your benefits. It definitely won't affect them negatively; I don't think there's any aid (apart from financial aid) you can receive that would make you LESS likely to qualify for benefits - if anything it highlights that you need the assistance

  • Effie96
    Effie96 Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener

    Can't imagine it being an issue at all!
    Naturally, I don't know about your personal situation but I recently bought a Thermomix on the advise of my occupational therapist to help me cook and it's given me so much more independence in the Kitchen!

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 5,179 Championing

    This question is perfectly valid. The problem here is that they live with their ex but claim UC as a single person. If UC think they are living together as a couple, they would need to make a joint claim for benefits. If the ex has earnings or savings above the thresholds, the single person may not be able to claim any help at all from UC. UC need to see that they live separate lives, such as buying separate food and eating separate meals, to prove that they are living separately inside the same house.

    There are no specific rules for this. Just as long as you don't appear to be living as a couple to an outsider. I don't think that even one meal a week would be too much. However, I also don't see how UC would ever know that you occasionally eat together anyway. So I think you're probably overthinking this. The only way they would know is if one of your ex's friends is petty/vengeful for whatever reason, and they report you eating meals together (an unknown number), if he mentions it to them inadvertently.

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