I am a divorced man who has met a new lovely lady and we get on superbly.

I own my house outright and I live on my private occupational pension.

My new lady lives on benefits and lives in a rented flat.

I understand that I cannot stay with her more than two nights per week in

order not to affect her benefits claims etc.

OK I understand that and have no problem with it.

I have only stayed in her flat for one night in seven months.

However, I've heard that she cannot spend more then two nights per week

with me in my private house without it affecting her benefit entitlements.

Is that correct?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Hi.

From what I understand, it isn't about the number of nights you spend together which seems to have become an urban myth.

What matters more is whether one of you is contributing to the other's household budget, whether you have joint bank accounts, pay each others' bills and so on, I believe. If you aren't financially linked then life shouldn't be complicated.

HB

Yep what HB says.

The number of nights is irrelevant, it's when you become a couple who live together and support each other is when it affects benefits.

If you have separate households, separate bills etc then you are not living together or a couple for benefits purposes.

Thanks for your replies which seem correct and logical to me.

I raised this thread because last Thursday I was in the church hall in [removed]

attending and helping out with the Alzheimer's group as I do regularly.

A woman who nobody had seen before came in and started asking strange questions

to myself and my new lady.

She asked us if we lived together and what sort of relationship we had.

My lady immediately suspected that the woman was a DWP spy to check on female benefit claimaints who have a new man friend.

There are two very jealous women living in [removed] who probably caused the spy to come to the church hall by contacting the DWP.

Hi.

tomtom knows more than I do but I didn't think this was how the DWP operates. Every thread I've seen here, the person has been called in to see the DWP at their offices.

I've removed the name of where you live to keep this anonymous for you.

HB

It wouldn't have been the DWP as the law does not allow them to do this.

If they suspected anything was amiss they would have investigated first and then invited the benefit recipient for a either an interview under caution or a compliance interview and just asked outright.

It wouldn't have been the DWP as the law does not allow them to do this.

 

If they suspected anything was amiss they would have investigated first and then invited the benefit recipient for a either an interview under caution or a compliance interview and just asked outright.

Thanks for your reply. Very helpful and informative.

I will be in the church hall tomorrow to see if the woman who was asking

strange questions turns up again.

Maybe I have been making a mountain out of a mole hill.

If that turns out to be the case, then I'm sorry for raising this thread.

I will report back when I find out the truth.

Don't worry about starting the thread. If you feel reassured and the thread helps other people in the future, then it was worth doing. Please let us know how you get on.

HB

Agree with what has been said to a certain degree. DWP can act on reports of suspected benefit fraund and conduct discreet surveiilance. If they did go into a Church Hall and start asking question about you and your friend, I would be surprised. But there are a lot of new field investigators working for DWP, so cannot be ruled out 100%.

DWP employed staff also conduct checks related to Housing Benefit/Council Tax reduction issues as well.

I visited the Church Hall last Thursday and the woman who was asking the strange questions was there. I now realise she isn't a spy at all. She is quite abrupt and askes quite personal questions to people she has never met before.

Despite that, she seems like a nice person.

Therefore I was completely wrong regarding my suspicions.

She has become a volunteer helper with the Alzheimer's group which is good of her.

Thanks to all who replied to my thread.

I'm pleased you have found a resolution to this, Jim.

HB