Can you still claim UC if your husband is a high earner but you don't live together?

[MoneyMatters1]

Hypothetical question, if your husband is a higher earner, roughly 80k/annum, but you don't live together, can you claim universal credit?

Wife's situation is that she works part time around looking after toddler DC (not husband's child).

It’s not worth getting married financially for the woman.

And tbh what an odd marriage it would be anyway.

This is the guidance that DWP use when determining whether you are 'Living together as husband and wife/Civil Partners'. They consider a lot of things when deciding what your status is:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/658225/dmgch11.pdf

I would say yes, you can certainly claim it. Whether or not it is awarded will be down to DWP as per the above guidance. Ifd they live apart and are not financially involved together, share no bills, his name isn't on anything at her address inc. things people forget about like car owned by him but registered at her address, it may well be awarded. Even if awarded they may get regular interviews to check nothing has changed.

I didn't realise benefits were that high, but is that based on childcare costs & housing costs? If you live together won't your housing costs reduce?

@doobiedoi it is based on local housing allowance for the local area. But if the woman in this situation moves in with her partner she will lose ALL the benefits due to his high salary, her only income will be from her part time job.

@doobiedoi that's all the benefits, including housing and childcare costs.

As @Waxonwaxoff0 says, they would all go after marriage so the woman would have £600 left which wouldn't even cover her childcare costs to be able to go to work.

I know a married couple who claim to be separated because they want to get a council property.

She's still living at her mother's house with the kids at the moment so that obviously not working.

Ok but would the future DH be covering housing, bills & food for both? So the 500 (?) that might be spent on this is paid by him so to speak?

And the issue is he doesn't have the remaining 500 (?) to cover childcare out of a take home of 4.5k?

You/He could also access tax free childcare which you can't do on benefits I believe?

Why is he (you?) paying for elderly parents' care? Are you in the UK?

I wouldn't marry this man.

the woman wouldn't want to be financially dependent on him

But quite happy to be financially dependent on other tax payers

She could always work full time or get a second job around his hours if she actually does want this relationship.

I’d not rush into marriage if I were him though whatsoever.