Polygamous Marriages.

Lee Anderson MP has written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding polygamous marriages.

The letter reads:

Dear Secretary of State,

I am writing to share my concerns following recent reports that your department has increased additional benefit allowances for those in polygamous marriages.

According to these reports, the weekly Pension Credit or Housing Benefit for ‘additional spouses’ in ‘polygamous marriages’ has increased from £119.50 last year to £125.25 from this Aprill - an increase of 4.8%.

I am aware that this money is less than these people could claim if they lived alone, however it still means that polygamous households receive additional income compared to those in a two-person marriage. I also know that these cases may involve only a small number of households across the country, but the money being given to additional spouses is being increased each year. While these points may not seem significant to you, they reflect a much bigger issue.

Although polygamous marriages cannot legally be conducted under UK law, the welfare system recognises and financially accommodates them when they have been permitted overseas. This policy seems contradictory. Taxpayers are essentially being expected to subsidise household arrangements which fall outside the important legal and cultural norms recognised within the UK.

Whether we admit it or not, we legitimise the practice, even if it is not legalised, when we include it in our policies in this way. Universal Credit does not recognise polygamous households in the benefit system. Our laws must be applied consistently - it is as simple as that.

Pensioners, families, married couples, and hard-working taxpayers across the country are struggling with the rising cost of living. I regularly hear from my constituents about the impact this is having on them. I am sure many of them will find it hard to understand why our benefits system continues to make special provisions for circumstances which are not legally practiced or recognised in our country.

I would be grateful if you could outline what legal documentation or proof of marriage is required when a polygamous household applies for these benefits. There are understandable concerns about whether all parts of the welfare system are being handled with the highest level of due diligence and fairness.

I would also appreciate if you could confirm how many households currently receive these additional spouse payments and provide a year-on-year comparison of this number. Since the Immigration Act 1988, it is not possible for people married overseas to bring second wives to the UK through the spouse visa route, but it is possible for additional spouses to access alternative routes into the country. We need to know to what extent this is happening. If this data is not available, can you please explain why it is not already collected?

Finally, can you please clarify your position on this and confirm whether you would support a review of any policies which relate to benefit entitlement for polygamous households? Successive governments have allowed this policy to go on unchecked for decades, but these concessions must now be addressed.

Yours sincerely,

Lee Anderson MP

Member of Parliament for Ashfield