How to Gather Proof of Cohabitation in the UK

September 24, 2023 - Reading time: 8 minutes
Updated on: September 4, 2025

Why Proof of Cohabitation is Necessary

People seek cohabitation evidence for different reasons. Common scenarios include:

1. Landlords who suspect unlawful subletting or unauthorised occupants.
2. Local authority or DWP investigators reviewing suspected Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support fraud.
3. Ex-partners questioning living arrangements that could affect spousal maintenance or child maintenance.
4. Solicitors who need cohabitation evidence for family court or divorce proceedings.

Misrepresentation of cohabitation is common in fraud cases. Government figures suggest benefit fraud costs taxpayers around £2 billion a year, and unlawful subletting of social housing is also treated as a criminal offence.

What Counts as Cohabitation?

Citizens Advice defines cohabitation as two people living together as a couple in a relationship equivalent to marriage. Cohabiting families in the UK have grown from 1.5 million in the mid-1990s to more than 3.3 million today, making it the fastest growing family type.

Not all cohabitation is fraudulent, but people may hide or misstate living arrangements to gain financially. Landlords also face cohabitation issues where tenants sublet without consent.

Requirements from the Courts

If you intend to rely on cohabitation evidence in court, you need credible proof. This usually means a detailed cohabitation report supported by photographic and video surveillance, ideally collected over two to three weeks. Courts prefer continuous monitoring rather than isolated snapshots.

Evidence Types

Useful evidence can include:

• Logs of activity in and out of a property
• Time-stamped photos and video footage showing occupants
• Consistent presence of personal vehicles
• Utility records, deliveries, or mail linking people to an address

Courts expect clarity. Smartphone images can be acceptable but high-resolution cameras and telephoto lenses provide stronger, more reliable evidence.

Records and Checks

Alongside surveillance, checks such as electoral roll searches, Land Registry entries, Companies House records, or OSINT research may support your claim. These help establish whether someone is genuinely living where they say they are.

Using a Private Investigator

Hiring a private investigator for cohabitation surveillance gives you:

• Access to professional cameras, telephoto lenses, and covert recording equipment
• Experience in gathering evidence lawfully and discreetly
• Insurance, ICO registration, and compliance with privacy rules
• Ability to prepare detailed reports accepted by solicitors and courts

Private investigators can save you time, provide impartial evidence, and raise the chance your case is taken seriously.