Closed petition Stop requiring couples to make joint claims for Universal Credit

Closed on 29 September 2021

Currently, the law states that people must apply jointly to universal credit if they live together. This is an antequated system which assumes your partner will be able, and willing to support you in your time of need, placing the burden on them rather than the system.

Requiring couples to apply together forces people to lose their independence. It creates dependence on the person you live with, which can be incredibly difficult in cases of abuse and where disability is involved. The low salary threshold also doesn't take into account that a lot of the time the other partner doesn't earn enough to cover all of the rent and expenses, and it forces couples to share their finances whether they want to or not.