WRITTEN ON April 15th, 2005 BY Anthony J Evans AND STORED IN Across the Board, What do we want?, Wibbipedia/MindtheGap

Why is it that different government departments contradict each other regarding common law marriage?

An anecdote:

Last summer I applied for Job Seekers Allowance in Birkenhead. I dare say I as the first person ever to answer “Praxeologist” under the type of job I was looking for. Needless to say there was no suitable work, and I was actively encouraged to claim the income based allowance.

I was not intending to “live off the dole”, but was in a vulnerable financial position and felt it was fair game. I would have been willing to work in any job, but my advisor encouraged me to not take anything that wasn’t in the sphere of my qualifications: economics.

At the time, I was spending the summer at home in between study in the USA. I was told that I was therefore be ineligible for benefits because my academic funding should cover the summer.

WIBBI: The Dept. of Education and Skills correspondended with the Dept. of Work and Pensions?
For 10 months of the year I fund myself to get an education abroad, meaning that in 3-5 years time I’ll return to the UK with higher qualifications, and consequently pay more tax. Shouldn’t the DES encourage this from students? And if so, why should the DWP discourage it?

I would also be denied income support because I had moved in with my girlfriend. I did this because I could no longer afford to pay rent for my own place, and we thought we’d save money by sharing bills. This decision, however, meant that by common law we were a married couple.

WIBBI: The Dept. of Work and Pensions was compatible with the Inland Revenue?
To hear that her kind effort to reduce my outgoings invalidated any support from the state, at the very least I expected symmetry. If we were married in the eyes of the DWP, then surely we’d be married in the eyes of the IR? Alas not. My girlfriend could not claim married couple allowance, or any other tax credit for living with me.

There are three frustrations that linger with me following this episode. Firstly, each inconsistency increases the short term financial position of the govt, and decreases mine. This is why it feels unfair. Secondly, each inconsistency decreases the prospects of me developing into a qualified and richer tax payer. There is a lack of farsight that should be willing to invest in education. Finally, the story only has a happy ending because my parents happen to be able to support me.
If I were from a poor family, the inconsistencies between the various departments would have made me become elligible for income support, and for a very long time.