The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) 'couple rule' leaves benefits claimants up to £9,600 a year worse off if they marry or move in with a partner, according to a new report from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ). The think tank warns that the policy effectively penalises women for making a lasting commitment.
Impact on Single Mothers
The CSJ highlights the case of a 30-year-old single mother with a one-year-old child who is out of work. If she marries or cohabits with the child's father earning £20,000 a year gross, she would lose £5,700 annually in benefits. If he earns £30,000, the loss rises to £9,600. The report argues that the welfare system creates a disincentive for family stability.
Report Recommendations
The report, titled 'The Stability Advantage' and authored by Dr Harry Benson, challenges the assumption that marriage is irrelevant to policy. It finds that marriage is strongly associated with a reduced risk of union dissolution, even after controlling for socio-economic factors. The CSJ recommends redesigning financial support for early parenthood to encourage marriage through financial incentives.
Expert and Official Reactions
Sophia Worringer, deputy research director of the CSJ, said: 'Families should not be made poorer for making a lasting commitment to one another. Marriage is one of the clearest indicators that parents will stay together, and children benefit when they grow up in stable households. Our welfare and tax system should reward commitment, not penalise it. If ministers are serious about reducing child poverty, supporting family stability – including marriage – must be at the heart of their strategy.'
A DWP spokesman responded: 'We’re committed to moving from a welfare state to a working state, so that work always pays and people can move into good, secure jobs, and out of poverty. That’s why we’ve deployed 1,000 Pathways to Work advisers who are supporting people left behind by the previous government, are helping sick or disabled people into jobs backed by £3.5bn by the end of the parliament and removing the sickness incentive in Universal Credit. We’ll always ensure there is a safety net for those who need it and our landmark Child Poverty Strategy will lift 550,000 children out of poverty in 2030 through schemes such as Free School Meals, expanding childcare and a £1bn Crisis and Resilience Fund to prevent families from falling into poverty.'
