Petition · past parliament · Department for Work and Pensions
Remove requirements for couples to make joint claims for unemployment benefits
Closed
34 signatures
What the petition asks
If a couple are living together and one of the partners is working, the other is often unable to receive unemployment benefits, even in cases of disability, because of their partner's income. This is outdated and needs to be changed.
The view that a working partner should support an unemployed partner is outdated and should be changed, by allowing individuals who are in a couple to make individual claims for benefits, rather than being required to claim as a couple.
Timeline
| 26 May 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 26 Nov 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
34
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Work and Pensions
Opened
26 May 2021
Closed
26 Nov 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.