Universal Credit has been rolled out gradually in the United Kingdom since 2013 as one integrated means‐tested benefit replacing six different transfers with a single monthly payment. Previously, these benefits were awarded for distinct purposes and, for couples who claimed them, were potentially payable to different partners. Concerns about Universal Credit’s single payment include the opportunities it may create for facilitating domestic abuse, the fostering of more unequal power relations within couples, the reduction of financial autonomy for individuals, and the de‐labelling of benefit payments. This article explores debates about the prospects for individual payments to partners in couples of Universal Credit as a jointly assessed integrated means‐tested benefit, including different approaches emerging from the United Kingdom’s devolved governments (mainly Scotland and Northern Ireland). Whilst payment to each partner is likely to be more feasible where there are separate rather than integrated means‐tested benefits, it concludes that genuine financial autonomy for partners in couples is best pursued via individually based non‐means‐tested benefits.

中文翻译：

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英国夫妇普遍信贷的支付：从性别角度看改革面临的挑战

自2013年以来，Universal Credit已在英国逐步推出，它是一项经过经济状况检验的综合福利，只需每月一次付款即可取代六种不同的转账。以前，这些福利是出于不同的目的而授予的，对于主张这些福利的夫妇，有可能要支付给不同的伴侣。对Universal Credit的单笔付款的担忧包括它可能会为便利家庭虐待，在夫妻之间促进更不平等的权力关系，减少个人的财务自主权以及取消给付金的标签等方面创造的机会。本文探讨了有关以Universal Credit夫妇共同评估的经综合经济审查的收益向合作伙伴个人付款的前景的辩论，包括英国下放政府（主要是苏格兰和北爱尔兰）采用的不同方法。尽管有单独的而不是综合的经家庭测试的福利，向每个伴侣支付费用可能更为可行，但结论是，夫妻的伴侣真正的财务自主权最好是通过基于个人的非经家庭经历的福利来实现。