Muslim migrant men living in the United Kingdom with multiple wives can receive additional government benefits for extra spouses, despite polygamy not being legally recognized in the country.
The Department for Work and Pensions has increased benefits for qualifying polygamous households last April. According to a report from The Express, the department confirmed in its annual benefits uprating list that additional spouses in “polygamous marriages” would receive a 4.8 percent increase in benefits.
Under the updated rates, individuals classified as an additional spouse above state pension age can receive an extra £125.25 per week through Pension Credit or Housing Benefit, up from £119.50 previously.
This increase does not have a limit for the number of additional spouses, though it is subject to overall household benefit limits.
The rule does not apply to new polygamous marriages conducted in the UK. While bigamy is illegal in the country, it is legally recognized under certain circumstances if the marriage took place in a country where it is currently legal and occurs before the individuals move to the UK.
According to a House of Commons report titled Polygamy that was published in 2023, “To be recognised as legally valid, all marriages which take place in the United Kingdom must be monogamous and must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the relevant legislation.”
“For a polygamous marriage to be considered valid in the UK, the parties must be domiciled in a country where polygamous marriage is permitted and must have entered into the marriage in a country which permits polygamy,” it continued. “It has been the policy of successive governments to prevent the formation of polygamous households in the UK.
