Will I Lose My Benefits If I Get Married?

[Lala8876]

Hi

I'm hoping someone can help. I am currently registered disabled and get ESA as well as PIP. Next year my partner and I are looking to move in together and get married but I was wondering if that would affect my money.

He gets quite a good wage of £400 plus a week but he's always skint as he has 3 children from a previous relationship he pays for as well as clearing old debts so we really need my money to pay for a lot of things.

I hope someone can help

Thanks

[murraymints]

if you are on income based ESA then your husband/partner's income is considered yours also...

[Lala8876]

Thanks for the prompt answer. Yes it is income based. Forgot to say I'm in the support group for ESA.

[murraymints]

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/esa-glossary/2753-income-related-esa

[jourdain2]

I've just discovered that I did the right thing in keeping on being taxed separately. I was going to be asked to be taxed as part of a married couple when I got back from France, but didn't get round to it. I'm very glad I didn't, because once your joint income goes over about £15K you start losing money and paying more tax. Under £15K you save on tax as a married couple. Between us we are getting on for £20K and would have lost £400 p.a.!!! So at least be taxed separately. Don't know about benefits, sorry.

If it is impractical to be legally married, but you are at all religious and it is important to your relationship, then you could ask for a church blessing - would that help? :)

[murraymints]

If you live with a partner, even if not married, their income is also used in benefit entitlement calculations for any means tested (income based) benefits

[Retrochic]

PIP payments are not income based

[Peter Pedant]

thx retro - DLA arent and some of us are still on that

[fiction-factory]

I don't understand that, jourdain. Are you talking about UK tax? Each individual whether married or not is taxed separately based on their own income apart from the married couples allowance for the over 80s (approx age- may be a few years either way). There is now a transferable allowance now for some couples where one doesn't pay tax- is that what you mean?

[Retrochic]

fiction -i was wondering that too - OH and I are pay separate Tax bills and apart from being partners in a couple of businesses we still are taxed as individuals.

[jomifl]

If you are not married and your partner dies you will have to pay tax on anything that you inherit, so if you are left a house you will probably have to sell it to pay the tax on it.

[Retrochic]

jomifl -that has absolutely a) nothing to do with the OP and b) nothing to do with jourdains comment on getting taxed on income as a married person.

[Maydup]

If you move in together his income will be taken into account regardless of whether or not you are married. So if you are planning to make the committment, go ahead and tie the knot as it makes your financial situation more secure in the long term.

[Retrochic]

Maydup PIP payments are not based on your or anyone else's income. You could be a multi millionaire and if you qualify and pass the assessment you would get PIP payments.

[Maydup]

And ESA ?

[hc4361]

ESA is not means tested either, so your benefits won't be affected.

[murraymints]

ESA is income based after first 12 months contribution based and WILL be affected...

[hc4361]

"Unlike means-tested benefits, there is no income and savings test for contributory ESA."

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/employment-and-support-allowance-contribution-based

[bednobs]

but not income based esa HC

[hc4361]

My wife has been getting ESA after it was changed from Incapacity Benefit. She gets a works pension and I have a good income, we have savings and she still gets ESA.

[bednobs]

the fct remains that income based ESA is affected by partner's income