Couples who live separately so they get additional financial support

[slimline]

A couple I know got married over a year ago, yet they still live separately. She has two children from a previous relationship and lives in a 3 bed house. He lives in a 2 bed house and has no children. I mention the size of their homes because it’s clear that there is ample space for the entire family to live under one roof. I can’t think of any other reason for their separate living arrangements (considering they have made a commitment to each other through marriage) aside from financial security, as her eldest child has SEN and she doesn’t work. He is working, which I assume could complicate things if he were to move in. Yes, I understand it’s legal, but I can’t help but think they’re taking advantage of the system in some way. This isn't the first time I've heard of couples or families living apart in order to increase their income. I’m ready to be accused of benefit bashing or called all the names under the sun. Don’t care sorry!

Well some wouldn’t get married if the “loophole” was closed. Welfare bill would be no better off.
A weird statement saying people want the best bits but not the bad? What bad bits are people evading -poverty? Housing that is overcrowded? Why would either of those be better options than the system we have.

I am with you in the sense if a choice based on receiving benefits when technically they could change from living together, and a house that could be housing another family / couple / person.

To pay for 2 sets of everything must offset any extra benefits, so maybe the man wants to keep his place and not rent it out, that part can stay their business, but on the above yes I am with you. Does seem a little odd.

This thread has been annoying me all day.
The idea that people who are not living together should support each other financially!
Ludicrous.
And, who decides if a couple are 'serious' enough if not cohabiting to decide that they should even IF they got their loony idea accepted?

This is deeply personal for me as my ex who was a lazy bum put pressure to live with me when I started earning a decent salary. I strongly resisted.

Though I don't understand why the couple in this instance got married, I really don't, there's no bloody rule saying that they HAVE to cohabit.

I really struggle with the idea that just because people cohabit and have sex they must support each other financially anyway, though I do see that with marriage they've actually said they would in a sense so there is an element of well you agreed to it I suppose.

Maybe they want to avoid premarital sex. Or just have some form of formal commitment where they cant have a traditional relationship.

Possibly. It doesn't, matter, though. It's such an anomaly that people marry and don't live together at the very start of the marriage it's not worth getting in a tizzy over it.

I must admit that in my life I've never known anyone get married and from the start of the marriage not cohabit.

It's bizarre to me, though not something I would ever get worked up over. More like: 'wow that's unusual' than they have to live together!

I have, but they always planned to live together at some point. Sometimes years down the line.

OK. Fair enough. Were they working away? In the armed forces? I'm not saying it's right or wrong. I am neutral about it. Genuinely.
I just wonder why.

One, it was similar to the OP where SEN was involved with one child who was life limited. There just wasnt the space for them to live together but I guess they wanted to cement their relationship.

The others, the other person was abroad and one was going to join the other, just not immediately. I think marriage there was for similar commitment reasons and possibly immigration, too. Though not in all of the cases.

Thanks for answering the question.

Some couples function better living apart. The SEN child may not like having another person there full time. Whatever their reasons it’s absolutely none of your business. Focus on your own life

You can only do a joint claim for UC if you are living in the same household.
This couple are not.

Why do you care so much?

Benefit fraud (if that’s likely) is everyone’s business.

I know loads of families who “don’t live together” but actually very much do.

its All to do with cheating the system and claiming more benefits but unless you’re going to dob them in then I’d just stay out of it. None of your business.

If you appear on the tenancy, mortgage and/or council tax of another property, that is where you live. It has little to do with where you stay.

I bet you're a bundle of fun in RL

Can't see how paying for two houses, two lots of bills etc is cheaper than living together 🤷‍♀️ if that's the case then the assistance is too high.
Where I live people declare themselves "separated under one roof" to get benefits and that way there is only one lot of expenses.
It's super dodgy. And if reported can incur jail time if unlucky.

Even without a delay /ex contesting it’s taken me over 8mths so far to get divorced and I’m in the final 8w so would have been 9/10mths in total

apply for divorce - take a few weeks to go to court /judge

Once judge approved / then 20w wait incase change mind

after 20w you say still want to divorce

then can start on the financial /clean break /custody paperwork etc is filled in

back to judge to approve can take another 3/4w

then conditional order/old decree nisi granted - and back to judge approve which can be another 2/3w

then once judge approves that - it’s another 8w for apply for final order and then finally divorcee once that’s been approved

delays can happen if don’t agree on maintenance - where kids live - esp if fights /want 50/50 and other parent doesn’t - splitting house /profits /pensions and any other financial stuff

If they both private rent, I very much doubt him paying out another rent, council tax and set of bills on a 2 bed house would offset what she would lose in benefits. She would still receive DLA for the child AND it is also none of your business how other people live and you will make yourself seriously unhappy if you worry about what other people are doing all the time.

I work full time, have 3 kids and live in a council house. My rent is £900 so not exactly cheap but we live in central

We are currently on joint UC and I have now asked to separate our claim. I must admit when I told the dwp we were divorced almost 5 years ago I thought it would have been automatic but our claim carried on the same. Admittedly I was a bit ignorant and realise I should have recorded it online but as we were still living in the same house I didn't know the correct procedure. I have always been in employment though minimum wage, zero hours while lord muck sits on his backside. The fact that the joint claim is less does not bother me but I probably could have done more shifts but didn't want to support his lazy backside more than I do. Fingers crossed he will soon realise how little money he actually has. (We own the house so no rent paid and about 50% council tax support). Youngest dc will be going to university this year.

You don’t seem very happy or nice.

If she is claiming any means tested benefits such as universal credit this is criminal fraud.

If the DWP find out she could be put in prison. Imprisonment is a typical sentence for benefit fraud.

It’s very unfair that the man in this situation is deemed to commit no crime so benefits from this arrangement but has no responsibility for its repercussions.

Did you read the op? How is the man benefitting? He still lives separately, is working and paying his own bills. The only thing he isn't doing which the op seems to think he should be is supporting a household that isn't his. The couple being married is not, in 2026, an automatic assumption of financial interdependence and anyone with a head on the shoulders shouldn't be dependent on another adult to maintain a household that includes a child that isn't theirs.

Where's the fraud?

What fraud? They do not live together and have two separate households.