Entangled: the couple rule, domestic violence and women’s economic security

We looked into the effects of the social security ‘couple rule’ on individuals in relationships.

At a glance

Australia’s social security system has different arrangements for single adults and for couples. Individuals in relationships receive lower rates of income support (or no income support) than those who are single because they are assessed collectively rather than individually. This difference is because of an assumption that couples will pool and share resources, which would lower their individual cost of living compared to single people. Section 4(3) of the Social Security Act 1991 lists the five factors that a decision maker must use to decide whether a person is a member of a couple for the purposes of social security payments. In social security law this is called the ‘couple rule’.

Dive deeper

Our findings contribute to longstanding and growing research2 showing that the couple rule exposes women to economic abuse and traps women in violent and abusive relationships. The rule also entrenches gender inequities by limiting opportunities for women to build economic independence.

The couple rule and domestic violence:

• Women are exposed to economic abuse and can be trapped in violent relationships.
• Women are forced to rely on partners who are not ready to support them.
• Evidence of domestic violence may be required, but gathering evidence is challenging for women when still living with their abuser.
• Long delays in decision-making and complex processes can compound risks and trauma for women experiencing domestic violence. Impacts of previous experience of domestic violence are not considered.

The couple rule contributes to women’s economic insecurity in the long term. Application of the couple rule reproduces and maintains inequities that women face in society and in the household by:

• entrenching the impacts of women’s unpaid care work
• creating barriers to training and study
• increasing risk of accumulating debt.

Additionally, it affects women’s independence and economic security:

• Compliance requirements and long delays in decision-making create barriers to independence immediately post-separation.
• Building independence and economic security after separation can take a long time.

Ways forward

To address inequities caused by the couple rule we need to support single and partnered adults equally, strengthen measures to support victim-survivors and recognise broader impacts that shape women’s economic security.