Currently in the UK Universal Credit is means tested. Couples married or otherwise who choose to live together are penalised by being required to make a joint claim. At present Universal credit will take both partners income and savings in to consideration. This means if one partner is on minimum wage, works part time or even unemployed universal credit expects their partner to afford to pay for both parties if they earn above a certain threshold. This is further exacerbated if the low income partner needs to make child maintenance payments or have shared children and childcare responsibilities. Denying the low income partner to receive a benefit to help them live and have independence is detrimental to mental health and quality of life. Is it also fair to assume the other partner who earns more is able to afford to pay for both parties or blow through their savings to be able to support the other partner. This makes an already stressful situation worse, decreases one partners financial independence and places the full financial burden on to the higher earner. This could result in financial instability, increased risk of debts and bankruptcy, severe affects on mental and emotional health. For young people this could stop them being able to move in with a partner increasing risk of feelings of isolation and depression. Means testing benefits of couples can give rise to coercive control where a relationship is abusive because of one partner losing financial independence and becoming reliant on the abuser, even if a small amount of benefit is paid universal credit will pay in to a single account for a joint claim causing further damage to couples.

If things were to change this would allow:

• partners to make independent claims on universal credit,
• increasing financial independence
• Reducing reliance on a partner (especially an abusive one) 
• Reduce risk of financial abuse and control 
• Decrease risk of financial burden on a single party
• Decrease risk of financial instability including increased debt and bankruptcy
• Reduce risk of isolation, depression and mental health issues related to money and affordability. 
• Reduce risk of children being pushed below the poverty line

If this doesn't happen:

• partners will continue to be forced to make a joint claim if they live together.
• Decreased or no financial independence
• Increased or complete reliance on a partner (especially an abusive one)
• Increased risk of financial abuse and control
• Increased risk of financial burden on a single party
• Increased risk of financial instability including increased debt and bankruptcy
• Increased risk of isolation, depression and mental health issues related to money and affordability.
• Increase the risk of children being pushed in to poverty 

In short means tested benefits for couples who live together decreases or completely removes financial independence for one partner, puts partial or full financial burden on the other partner. Increases the risk of coercive control regarding finances, increased risk of debts, pushes children below the poverty line, decreases mental health and denies a lot of couples the option of living together.