Politics · United Kingdom · 4 hrs ago
Tories pledge to end extra benefits for polygamous households
Kemi Badenoch has pledged to end extra benefits for polygamous households under a future Conservative government.
Polygamy is illegal in the UK, but the welfare system recognises marriages that were lawful in the country where they took place.
That can mean additional spouses receive extra welfare payments, including pension credit and housing benefit.
The article gives the example of a household with one husband and four wives receiving £1,504.40 a week in those benefits, but the Department for Work and Pensions says very few claimants come from polygamous households.
The Conservative proposal would also ban benefits for cousin marriages and incestuous unions, and is due to be put before Parliament on Tuesday.
Labour is expected not to support the proposal, but the sources do not say what happens after the parliamentary debate.
The Conservatives plan to end extra benefit payments to polygamous households, with Kemi Badenoch expected to pledge the change this week.
Polygamy is illegal in the UK, but the welfare system recognises some marriages conducted overseas if they were lawful where they took place.
The Daily Mail says a household with one husband and four wives could receive £1,504.40 a week in pension credit and housing benefit.
The proposal is expected to be put forward in Parliament on Tuesday by Badenoch and Conservative MP Richard Holden.
The proposal also includes banning benefits for people in incestuous unions and cousin marriages.
- Who
- The Conservative Party, led on the proposal by Kemi Badenoch and MP Richard Holden.
- What
- The party plans to stop extra benefits going to polygamous households. Its proposal also covers incestuous unions and cousin marriages.
- When
- Badenoch is expected to pledge the change this week, and the proposal is due to be put forward in Parliament on Tuesday.
- Where
- The United Kingdom.
- Why
- The Conservatives say the welfare system should not reward cultural practices that are illegal in the UK.
Conservatives
Government sources
Extra benefits
Conservatives
The Conservatives say extra payments to polygamous households should end.
Government sources
Government sources insist people do not profit from polygamy and say there are very few claimants from such households.
Kemi Badenoch is expected to pledge to stop additional money going to polygamous households.
Badenoch and Richard Holden are expected to put the proposal forward in Parliament.
- Weekly amount
- £1,504.40 in pension credit and housing benefit for a household with one husband and four wives
- Annual amount
- £78,229 for that household
- Difference from typical couple
- £39,406 more than the maximum amount a typical couple receives
- Pension credit
- £125.25 per week for a spouse claiming benefits
- Housing benefit
- £125.25 per week for a spouse claiming benefits
What people are saying
Our welfare system should not reward damaging cultural practices that are rightly illegal. My Bill would scrap this outrageous arrangement.
Our immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988.