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Written question asked by Andrew Snowden (Conservative) on Monday, 8 December 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 December 2025. It was answered by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Thursday, 18 December 2025 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Social Security Benefits: Polygamy

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claims in the last five years have involved individuals presenting as part of a polygamous household; and what the outcomes of those claims were.

Answer

Polygamous households are not recognised in Universal Credit. In claims where the claimant identifies as polygamous, the first spousal couple (the two partners who have been married longest) in the relationship could form a claim as a couple. However, all extant members of the relationship living in the household would need to make separate claims.

Benefits such as Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit do recognise a small number of polygamous marriages which took place in a jurisdiction where polygamy is permitted. This number is very small and declining. Since the Immigration Act 1988, it has not been possible for people polygamously married overseas to bring second wives to the UK through the spouse visa route.

As such, statistics are not held regarding numbers of claimants presenting as part of a polygamous household and would be disproportionate in cost to produce.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
98228
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Social security benefits Polygamy
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk