Becoming a couple in the eyes of the benefits

Hi,

I have been going out with my girlfriend for almost3 years, and we are thinking about living together. I currently live alone, she currently lives with her parents.

We both recieve income support and dla at high rate care low rate mobility.

If we were to go as a couple, because of this, I would not lose my £50 a week premium, because she no longer lives with her parents, and with me, she would also start her £50 a week premium (normally u dont get it, but we both get high DLA so we dont count as 'living together'


that much i understand, what i dont understand is, will our claim for income support become a joint claim of income support, or would they put us into ESA as soon as we began living together?

obviously i want everything above board and legit.

many thanks for your help,

Robert

jubba wrote:

Hi,

I have been going out with my girlfriend for almost3 years, and we are thinking about living together. I currently live alone, she currently lives with her parents.

We both recieve income support and dla at high rate care low rate mobility.

If we were to go as a couple, because of this, I would not lose my £50 a week premium, because she no longer lives with her parents, and with me, she would also start her £50 a week premium (normally u dont get it, but we both get high DLA so we dont count as 'living together'


that much i understand, what i dont understand is, will our claim for income support become a joint claim of income support, or would they put us into ESA as soon as we began living together?

obviously i want everything above board and legit.

many thanks for your help,

Robert

Hi Jubba

Its not possible for B&W to say how soon you will be transferred to ESA, or whether this will be done if you start living together.

I have posted some information from direct gov below, but as this is a complex area may I suggest that you consider getting help from an Advice Centre, who can go into all aspects, which is not possible to do on a forum like this.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/governmentcitizensa...bilities/dg_10026937

Regards

Michael