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Question follow-through · 98228

Social Security Benefits: Polygamy

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.

answeredDepartment for Work and Pensions

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body
Department for Work and Pensions
Tabled
8 Dec 2025
Target answer date
10 Dec 2025
Answer
18 Dec 2025 · 10 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

More questions by this MP on Social security and pensions

Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.

Recorded timeline

  1. 8 Dec 2025

    Question tabled

    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.

  2. 10 Dec 2025

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 18 Dec 2025

    Answer published

    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...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

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27 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the effect of calculating Child Maintenance Service payments on gross income on the financial wellbeing of paying parents in the last five y

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