Claiming benefits with 2 year work permit partner

Hello. I have a few questions about claiming benefits with my Nepalese partner who is on 2 year work permit. We are planning to apply for unmarried visa in 2 years, we moved in together a month ago and I had stopped my housing benefits and council tax benefits. I am still looking for permanent work, working part time on minimum wage. He works part time and is also looking for full time job. We are currently renting a room in a shared accommodation, but were considering moving into one bedroom on our own. Can I claim benefits? I know he's not entitled to anything, but I would have to mention him on my application form. Can someone please explain what that would mean with his visa, what can I expect? Would this claim affect his ability to apply for unmarried visa? Would I only be able to claim for myself but let the council know my partner's income? Thank you.

...... my Nepalese partner who is on 2 year work permit. He works part time and is also looking for full time job.

Before delving further into this, can we clarify the above? If he has a work permit, why is he working only part-time? Also, is he aware of the restrictions on accepting other employment?

is there anything wrong with working part time? i wasn't aware of that. he's working part time because that's the only thing can do now, while looking for full time jobs in IT. what are the restrictions? i don't think I know what you're talking about. he studied in uk for 4 years (undergrad and postgrad) and now got a 2 year work permit

You are using the term "work permit" and that could be the confusion. What sort of visa does he have? Could it be he has a Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) visa? If the answer to that is yes, that is very different to a work permit.

yes, it's tier 1. he's been calling it work permit around me, so that's what i thought it was

A Work Permit would tie him to work for one specific employer, whereas a Tier 1 visa permits him to work for anyone, and indeed to do so either full-time or part-time.

Now now to :-

Can I claim benefits? I know he's not entitled to anything, but I would have to mention him on my application form.

You are presumably British, please confirm, and that being the case you are entitled to claim any benefit that your circumstances dictate you are entitled to. However, as you rightly appreciate, you need to mention your partner's income to offices such as that dealing with Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

As regards JSA, this comes in two types. If it is contribution-based JSA that is being claimed, then that is personal to you, and his income is irrelevant. But if income-based JSA, his income is relevant.

Any prospect of a marriage of the two of you? Especially if not, there are effectively two conditions to get an unmarried partner visa .... living together for at least two years, and proving it! Gather proof as you go through the two year period.