Polygamous husbands can claim cash for their harems

17.04.07

Polygamous husbands settling in Britain with multiple wives can claim extra benefits for their "harems" even though bigamy is a crime in the UK, it has emerged.

Opposition MPs are demanding an urgent change in the law, claiming that the Government is recognising and rewarding a custom which has no legal status and which is "alien" to this country's cultural traditions.

A comedy harem scene as featured in the 1971 film Up The Chastity Belt

Officials said yesterday a review was now under way into whether the state should continue to pay out income support, jobseeker's allowance and housing and council tax benefits to 'extra' spouses.

Islamic law allows a man to take up to four wives, providing he can provide for them fairly and equally. But British law only ever recognises one spouse, while bigamy is punishable by up to seven years in jail.

However, if a husband and his wives arrive and settle in Britain having wed in a country where polygamy is legal, then the UK benefits system recognises his extra wives as dependents and pays them accordingly.

The Department of Work and Pensions admitted yesterday it had no figures on how many families are claiming for multiple wives.

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urban11 wrote:

Polygamous muslims with up to 4 wives can claim all sorts of benefits including job seekers allowance, income support etc etc for all their dependants.
There are just 2 reasons that allow outrages like this to happen, and only 2.
1)The marxists that run the country want this to happen (5 votes are better than 2)
2) We allow this to happen.
We must take action!!!!!
The least everyone should do is write to their MP and complain like mad.
Its dead easy...
go to
www.writetothem.com
and your MP will recieve your complaint.
Dont sit around moaning or praying for a military coup, do something now!

I agree urban, once again the authorities say they have no real idea of how many claimants there are of this type.

The DWP says if you are legally married to more than one partner under the laws of a country that permits this then your marriage is called "a polygamous marriage" (clever boys at the DWP) in this case your household consists of you and any partners who live with you.

Tory MP David Davies said " it is disgraceful that our benefit system recognises and rewards this"

I wonder what ever happened to the crime of Bigamy, I know that people have been Gaoled for this so why are these "claimants" not in prison?

The Muslim council of Britain said " it was quite common for men to undergo more than one Nikah with different wives, this does not count as Bigamy as only the first wife is recognised."

Gandalf