A UK think-tank warns that some single mothers could be financially worse off by around £10,000 a year if they marry, after changes in eligibility that can occur under the welfare system. The concerns focus on so-called “couple penalties,” where benefits may be reduced or recalculated when a person is treated as being in a couple rather than as a single claimant. The reports say this effect can apply not only to marriage, but also to other relationship circumstances that lead to couples being assessed together, such as moving in with a partner. The outlets describe the issue as a potential disincentive created by how benefits are administered, where household circumstances can trigger lower support. The coverage centers on the argument that welfare rules can substantially change a family’s financial position following relationship status changes. It does not specify whether the magnitude of loss will be the same for all claimants, but it frames the problem as systemic and linked to how the benefits system treats single versus coupled households.