EXCLUSIVE: The DWP has elevated the cost for households in polygamous marriages.
The DWP has elevated a controversial cost (Picture: Getty)
The DWP has elevated the quantity it pays out to households with folks in polygamous marriages from April.
There’s a set of circumstances by which people who find themselves married to a husband with a couple of spouse (or a spouse with a couple of husband) can declare a further advantages allowance – and it’s all totally authorized.
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The DWP has confirmed in its advantages uprating record that ‘further spouses’ in ‘polygamous marriages’ are being given a 4.8% enhance to their advantages from April, which might probably be for husbands with a number of wives.
Those that are classed as an ‘further partner’ in a polygamous marriage and are above state pension age had been in 2025-26 capable of declare a further £119.50 per week of Pension Credit score or Housing Profit, with no given restrict on the variety of separate further spouses who can declare in a single family, apart from the general advantages cap per family per yr.
From April 2026, this has been elevated to £125.25 per week per further partner, a 4.8% enhance in step with wage progress, which is how Pension Credit score is robotically elevated every spring, which is one other £5.75 per week, or £299 additional per yr.
The cash is lower than that individual would be capable of declare in the event that they lived alone (£238 from April 2026), however continues to be more money for a three-person family’s revenue in comparison with a two-person marriage.
The rule is just not new, however the quantity given to second wives continues to be being elevated every year.
Though bigamy is unlawful within the UK, the act of marrying a couple of individual at a time – polygamy – is just not unlawful if the marriages occurred abroad.
That is authorized the place an individual has married a number of wives (or husbands) abroad whereas legally dwelling in a rustic the place that is legally allowed, after which moved to the UK legally afterwards.
In that circumstance, an individual now legally dwelling within the UK, who legally married a couple of partner whereas dwelling abroad, can then see their second, third, and even fourth spouse (or husband) all declare a further £125.25 every per week, so long as that further partner got here to the UK legally in their very own proper.
The DWP’s advantages and pension charges 2026 to 2027 doc states: “If the claimant is a member of a polygamous marriage and the entire members of the wedding have attained pensionable age on or after 1 April 2021, for the claimant and the opposite celebration to the wedding [the allowance per week is now] £363.25.
“For every further partner who’s a member of the identical family because the claimant [the allowance per week is now] £125.25.”
It’s understood the DWP consider the variety of claimants to be small though it has not been capable of present a quantity for what number of second or third wives do declare the profit.
A Home of Commons report titled Polygamy printed in 2023 explains how this works.
It says: “To be recognised as legally legitimate, all marriages which occur in the UK should be monogamous and should be carried out in accordance with the necessities of the related laws.
“For a polygamous marriage to be thought of legitimate within the UK, the events should be domiciled in a rustic the place polygamous marriage is permitted and will need to have entered into the wedding in a rustic which allows polygamy.”
It continues: “It has been the coverage of successive governments to forestall the formation of polygamous households within the UK.
“Briefly, a UK resident can’t sponsor a non-British/Irish nationwide for permission to enter or stay within the UK as their partner if one other individual has already been granted such permission, and the wedding has not been dissolved. These restrictions are set out in part 2 of the Immigration Act 1988 and paragraphs 278 – 280 of the Immigration Guidelines.
“Nonetheless, it’s attainable for all events to a polygamous marriage to be legally current within the UK. For instance, a second partner could qualify for entry to the UK in a special immigration class, in their very own proper.”
On qualification for advantages, it says: “For polygamous marriages thought of legitimate within the UK, an award of sure means-tested advantages and tax credit will be for a couple of partner. Any further quantity payable for the second partner is nonetheless more likely to be lower than the quantity they might get had been they to make a separate declare as a single individual.
“Common Credit score (UC) is changing means-tested advantages and tax credit for working age folks. Polygamous marriages aren’t recognised within the UC guidelines. Because of this some polygamous households will obtain extra underneath UC than they might have underneath the legacy advantages and tax credit system.”
In 2024, a query tabled by Conservative Life Peer Baroness Buscombe stated: “[I would like] to ask His Majesty’s Authorities whether or not the advantages system continues to recognise polygamy in social safety rules and, in that case, why.”
To which Conservative Viscount Youthful of Leckie replied: “Polygamous marriages are unlawful within the UK.
“Common Credit score doesn’t recognise polygamous households within the profit system. Any adults dwelling within the family would every have to say as a single individual on the premise of their very own circumstances.
“Advantages comparable to Revenue Help, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Help Allowance and Housing Profit do recognise a small variety of polygamous marriages which occurred in a jurisdiction the place polygamy is permitted.
“This quantity could be very small and declining. For the reason that Immigration Act 1988, it has not been attainable for folks polygamously married abroad to carry second wives to the UK by means of the partner visa route.”
The DWP stated in a press release: “There are guidelines in place to make sure there isn’t any monetary profit for claiming from a polygamous family. Solely marriages that occurred in a rustic the place the practise is authorized are recognised. Consequently, only a few, if any, households declare this fashion.”
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