Living with boyfriend

This may be confusing:

I live with my boyfriend and another friend. I am currently unemployed and jobseeking

However due to savings over the amount allowed I am entitled to NOTHING!! My bf is claiming jobseekers, housing benefit and I think is covered council tax

Someone has said we could be breaking the law as we are claiming individually, I go to sign on for tax credits and jobseeking advice, and I believe we are in the right as I am technically not claiming, so if we claim as couple and they see my savings he would lose his benefit???

Surely couples living together in a shared house are right to claim as individuals as you are not actually married yet

Hi Sallysoo.

As you mention 'Housing Benefit' and 'Council Tax', I presume you're in the UK?.

This is an Irish site, so any advice refers to Irish welfare rules.

Can your local Citizen's Advice Centre help you with advice more appropriate UK welfare rules?.

Darth.

In both Ireland and UK, for welfare purposes, girlfriend/boyfriends are not entitled to claim as individuals if they are living together, they are treated as a couple. Well that's not exactly true, they can CLAIM as individuals, but their partner's income is taken into account for the purposes of any means test that is carried out.

The Irish (26 County) guidelines on cohabitation are here: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/cohabit.aspx