UC, housing benefit and a partner wanting to move in

[notfromstepford]

Hello wise mumsnetters
I have a question that I'm sure someone will be able to answer. I have been trawling the internet but a lot of the advice seems to be from a few years ago.

I'll try to keep this brief.

My DSD has just been offered her first house through the council and is ecstatic. She has 1 child that is 1.5 years and is expecting her 2nd child anyday. She's not working (was a driver before COVID) so is entitled to UC, housing benefit and all the other bits and pieces she can claim.
The father of her children is somewhat unreliable, so she's done all of her applications etc as a lone parent - which she essentially is.

Now she's got a fantastic house for her and her children - he's convinced that it's absolutely fine for him to move in and make a go of it. He works. I've told her that if he moves in - it won't be for free. They will deduct housing benefit and UC from her as they will be living as a couple and he has to pay his way (rightly so) - it's not a "free" house for him to live in.

My understanding is that her benefits will be reduced but it's up to him if he is going to give her the money to cover the shortfall? Is that correct? Also as he earns between £300 - £400 a week - her benefit will be cut by around £100 a week.

Does this sound about right? Like I say I've been trawling the internet and pieced together bits and pieces from different sites, but not found anything concrete.

If he moves in on that wage they will get very little UC

Si they were always a couple but she claimed as a single mother to get her nice council house. Now he wants to move in but somehow, she'd like to continue to claim as a single parent.

And then we wonder how some people are so negative about people on benefits.

There is no such thing as being essentially a single parent. They are either in partnership or they are not.

She wont get one pence, he will have to provide for her. She will get family allowance though. If he isnt earning enough and falls within the UC bandwidths they have to make a joint claim.

She should be careful moving him in as if he gets his name on the tenancy could be problematic in future if they split up.

With regards to money, if he moves in she needs to declare him or this is fraud. His income will most definitely be included and her current benefits reduces accordingly.

So he’s on about £20k a year? She will get next to nothing OP

Surely the question for her is does she want to live with the father of her children. Do the children not deserve to see father everyday not run two separate households.

Surely the question isn't want benefits will she get/lost? I think I have missed something but I thought the welfare state was a helpful temporary assistance when times are hard and not a lifestyle choice?

They want to be a couple then let then - stop interfering and basing your case on benefits! She is a grown up.

Have you told her what a bloody stupid idea this is?

@dontdisturbmenow

Si they were always a couple but she claimed as a single mother to get her nice council house. Now he wants to move in but somehow, she'd like to continue to claim as a single parent.

And then we wonder how some people are so negative about people on benefits.

There is no such thing as being essentially a single parent. They are either in partnership or they are not.

Indeed

She won’t get housing benefit housing for new claimants is an element within UC. On that wage with two children as a family unto your daughter will be entitled to UC both towards housing costs and the children.

If they have a relationship and are seen as a partnership then according to the rules she has been committing benefit fraud.

I can see why people get frustrated by people like this.
Your daughter and her partner took advantage of the system to get a house and now miraculously they want to get back together.

Thanks everyone. I do understand the reactions from some of you, I really do. However - they are not together now - so yes she is a single parent.

He's unreliable because he is a drinker, immature and puts himself first. He can get his wages on a Friday and have about £30 left by Sunday. She doesn't want him to move in - they're not a couple now, but she's asking me for advice because she wants other reasons for him not to move in. And as he's so driven by having his money - it's another bow to her arrow so to speak. I'm fortunate that I've never been in the position where I've had to claim benefits so although I'm researching it for her I don't have the first clue about how it all works.
Thank you for all the information - it's really helped and is as I thought.

If they’re not together then why is she even considering moving him in?

If he's unreliable then he shouldn't move in unless both of them, particularly your SD, think it is ok to screw their children around.

In regards to the money side of things obviously, if he moves in she won't get the same benefits as they are now a couple with children.

Anyway state your case to her and indicate clearly how much support you are willing to give her when he moves in. Then leave her to make her own decision as a grown up.

Why is she having a second child with a man who, in your words, is “unreliable”?

Honestly, OP your daughter has played the system. I get frustrated with people like this so I’ll say no more.

If he moves in with her his wage will be taken into account and her benefits will decrease. She doesnt have to let him move in. She can say no. Why is she thinking of letting him when they are not together?

His idea is that if he moves in (they don't live together now) they can make another go of it for the sake of the children.
That's making her feel guilty. But I've told her this house is for her and her children. Not for him to decide it's actually nicer than where he's living now (and to his mind rent-free) so it'll be in his interests to "try again".

So they don't want to miraculously get back together - he wants to get back together if that makes sense.

If he moved in she wouldn't get the amounts she gets now and would have to rely on him for money to run the household which it sounds unlikely he will do.
She doesn't need any other reasons apart from that she doesn't want him to move in.

Agree with the posters saying your daughter has played the system . She sounds clever enough to work things out on her own not sure why you need to research for her .

So you daughter played the system and got a nice house as a single mum. That property could have gone to an genuine mother who is struggling, a woman who has no working partner. It's all a bit suspect she gets a property and straight away is asking about her partner moving in.

Shame on your daughter.

If she doesn’t want him to move in for what ever reason that’s enough. She doesn’t need reasons or justification. No that’s not happening is enough.
She can just say to him “our relationship is over I don’t want to live with you under any circumstances although I will not stand in the way of your relationship with the children and I will of course be expecting you to provide for the children financially. Good bye.”

If he is as bad with £ as you say she should get onto cms as well.

Does he know he would be supporting the family on his wage?

For Gods sake she should not allow him to move in, if he is unreliable she could end up with practically nothing.
Better she had her own income and life and see this man if she wants as a non live in partner.
If he decides not to pay she will be in real trouble.
I bet he wants to move in - free house and all.

Why would she consider living with him if they are not together, that would be awful for the children.

This is a pretty reliable calculator for benefit entitlement in a straight forward situation. If you out in his wage pretend the 2nd baby is here and getting child benefit for both. That will tell you if she’d be entitled to any other benefits. www.turn2us.org.uk/

Personally it’d frighten the pants off me. She’s better off on her own if she truly is - but if he’s staying over etc they’ll have to claim as a couple regardless of who’s name is on the tenancy.