To ask whether anyone here has ever been investigated by DWP for “living with a partner”?

@Labradorlover987 no idea, I’m guessing surveillance though -

They do have investigators who will collect evidence, surveillance etc over a period of time.

i don’t have an issue if people genuinely need to claim from the state, however if you do then it’s clear that the state has the right to know the ins and outs of what you are claiming for and to check as and when that what you have declared is valid - it’s sad that it has to be this way but I’m afraid the total piss takers out there have ruined it for those playing it totally by the book- I knew 2 different circumstances where in case 1. The couple were an elderly retired couple , had sold a house, then rented, stuck £300k away in various things and then claimed UC, pension credit etc because ‘their pension income’ was at the level they could claim- including their rent - carried on for about 2 years and then somehow got caught out. They didn’t think their savings counted at all . Had to pay a load back -

case 2 - couple fully lived together, he worked cash in hand on building sites, made sure he wasnt registered for council tax - she claimed as a non working single mother of 2 - 7 years of that - he was genuinely bringing home about £400 a week cash back in mid to late 90s. Relative dobbed them in when they fell out.

Not according to many, both men and women these days. Of course these videos I’ve seen on Social Media, by men and men commenting, is about the man being okay and have a back up plan for himself 🙄
And apparently even when you have kids together it’s okay to live apart, because as one guy put it ‘that even living together there is no guarantee he will do more’ true.
But officially speaking I personally feel if you are together and you have a child/ren together, you should be living together.
No not everyone will eventually live together, and therefore some of those people feel that is okay to rely on benefits even if they do work too, to help with things, as opposed to living together and pooling finances. But then there are couples who do still qualify for some help.

In terms of benefits not being forever, no I don’t think many planned that.
But as a single person despite possible improvements by way of job/pay increases, and kids grow. Costs are still there, and a full time job even in many cases does not cover things, and therefore often help is still required.

I get it that to work out if there is fraud, and to work out whether they consider people’s arrangements as appropriate or not, they have to have guidelines they use.
But to me that is also wrong, because yes, of course the guy already lived somewhere before the relationship began, and still might, and officially he has everything registered there and pays for things there, because that’s how it was already.
But then has a gf, and starts staying over, ordinarily if benefits were not involved. One can do as they please, if the man for example wanted to pay out where he lives and spend most of the time at his gf’s fair enough.
But when there are benefits paying for her place for example, he is then benefiting from that. It’s wrong that, that is okay just because he’s not on the tenancy, and he has everything registered to his address, and he might not be giving her anything.
But of course as gf/bf you will buy food etc. Go on days out/nights/holidays etc.
Possibly other things too.
Now she is putting him up too doesn’t matter that you would naturally go to visit etc.
Especially because she has kids from previous for example so she is not free to be able to go to his, now the other thing is if they have a child/ren together.
To me I think this muddies the waters even more. Because then maybe they think this gives them more rights. Also that he will be paying things because that’s the home where his child/ren live in. Still doesn’t make it okay for him to then be there more often. People that think they have more rights because of that reason, but then what? Don’t want to fully live with their child/ren, please!

Then I have seen other situations for example where the man’s address is not suitable for him to have his child/ren from previous relationship, so he uses his gf’s place who is in receipt of benefits to have his kids there.
That is another huge wrong to me!

I suspect it is the greyest of grey areas, bills in her name, but he buys takeaways for everyone, she does his washing. He puts petrol in her car if they go out together, likeI say - grey.

I’ll say one thing. I have reported MANY benefit cheats (and people to HMRC). I see it as my civic duty. Shame I never know how it ends - my cleaning lady was saying how she had a rich boyfriend but even if she moved in with him, she would keep her council house (or whatever they are called). I reported her within 2 minutes of hearing that, asked her for her address to send her a present. Sorry not sorry. So I hope you “friend” gets prosecuted I am tired of seeing my taxes go on these cheats

Minuscule amounts I'd have thought as there are economies of scale at play.

UC system is not there to moralise over a single person's lifestyle or how they spend their money. If someone is genuinely living there and paying towards bills that's of course different.

Many years ago, my boyfriend had to prove we weren't living together as a couple for benefits. We did flat share in a shared house, but rented separately from the LL, did our own shopping, paid bills separately etc. They were interested in things like did we buy separate tubes of toothpaste, did we have our own shelf in the fridge, own pots and pans etc.

So even a partner that lives at the same address isn't necessarily living "as a couple". We were v young though and in a shared house.

so they are living together???

Oh yes, definitely. I think she was furious that it was all on her, but like you say, she was the one committing fraud.

If she was the one claiming the benefits I'm not sure why the boyfriend wouldn't walk away scot free?
I realise she'd probably claim that the money was spent on him too, but it would still have been up to her to notify any changes of circumstance to DWP

So they are living together then?

My ex's sister was prosecuted, I don't know the ins and outs because her and I didn't have a great relationship, but I know they were being investigated for a while because there was a lot of evidence gathered! They did the whole 'but he only stays 3 nights a week!', thinking that would be ok, but they decided her claim was fraudulent, her benefits were stopped, and she had to pay back a couple of years worth of money. The boyfriend refused to help and ended the relationship, he got to walk away scot free! Last I heard her grandad was helping her financially because she was in such a mess.

I understand your concern, Labradorlover987, but though this isn't my field I doubt they'd allow you to get too involved with answering their questions

Your friend may expect you to though, and you may even get "You need to say this" beforehand and "You didn't support me" afterwards, all of which is why making it clear you're "just there to take notes" might be a better approach

Sorry, OP, but it sounds like a complete lack of judgement all round

You are not meant to be on benefits for life! If a couple seriously spend time getting to know each other then the point must come when you consider sharing households, the costs of it and the cost savings from two living as cheaply as one. And over time then surely you would also hope to increase earning power? Kids grow up and don’t need childcare 24/7, people get promotions. You don’t just stay stuck on benefits for years. Likewise if you get a boyfriend and it’s serious then eventually you DO move in together.

This was my thought - it could open a whole can of worms if they look into them both and find out that hes working cash in hand.
Seems like they both might be playing the system!