Child and Disability Benefits UK - moving back from Astralia

Hi,

just seeing if anyone has experience/knowledge concerning a British Citizen retuning Uk from Australia? Access to Bemefits and Education...

We have been in Australia for 12 years and desperately want to go back home. I have done some initial research and it isn't clear that our son who recieves benefits here in Australia (carers allowance) will be entitled to the equivalent benefit in the uk. We will be going home for good and need to get organised...

You will need to apply and await the outcome, I don't think there is much else you can do. Disability benefits can be difficult to claim so have all the supporting evidence you can get your hands on.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/benefits-for-people-who-are-sick-or-disabled/

Also there is the habitually resident rule which may be applied. So it could be a few months before a claim can be lodged.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/coming-from-abroad-and-claiming-benefits-the-habitual-residence-test/the-habitual-residence-test-an-introduction/the-habitual-residence-test-how-a-decision-is-made/

They have cut back on disability payments in recent years and I've friends who have really struggled to get proper support/payments or who have had them stopped leading to them having to appeal.

Good luck with it all.

Hi ! As Snifter as said, it's not that easy getting any benefits in the U.K. now especially as the Tory government there seem to be waging a silent war against the poor, disabled, unemployed and anyone else who isn't a top wage earner. Years ago me and my family returned to the U.K. and applied for benefits, and had to wait a while before we got anything. We found the Citizens Advice Bureau to be pretty useless in our case, and ended up paying a few quid to a solicitor who specialized in dealing with the benefits system to get our issues sorted. You may be able to pay into the DHSS system before you return to the U.K., thus ensuring that you can make a claim straight away, but you'll need to check that out. Finally- if you haven't done so already- make sure you all have Australian citizenship prior to departure as things can change ( we ended up returning to Oz so I speak from experience ). Good luck !

Health and education are immediately available. However, you would need to pass the habitually resident test to get social security benefits. This normally means be resident for three months.

Benefits will be available to you when you arrive, you will need to meet certain criteria of course but it is certainly there. As in Australia they are tightening up on benefits which obviously makes sense. Don't panic or be put off by the political nonsense you often read on here, you will be looked after.

Benefits will be available to you when you arrive, you will need to meet certain criteria of course but it is certainly there. As in Australia they are tightening up on benefits which obviously makes sense. Don't panic or be put off by the political nonsense you often read on here, you will be looked after.

The benefits system has become a minefield / tick box system.

To be able to claim (carers allowance) one of the boxes you have to tick is do you have Employer,s National insurance to your name in the last 2 years?

Your son will probably have to be assessed before any (if any) benefits are paid. As others have said, this government is making life difficult for some of our most vulnerable citizens, so you may (depending on your son's disability and your circumstances) need to be prepared for a battle.

Hi,

 

just seeing if anyone has experience/knowledge concerning a British Citizen retuning Uk from Australia? Access to Bemefits and Education...

 

We have been in Australia for 12 years and desperately want to go back home. I have done some initial research and it isn't clear that our son who recieves benefits here in Australia (carers allowance) will be entitled to the equivalent benefit in the uk. We will be going home for good and need to get organised...

You will not be eligible ... currently you have to have lived in the UK for 2 years before claiming benefit. I know this because 10 months after our arrival back in UK our son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and we were told the 2 year rule at the time we placed an application for carers allowance. We will wait until March and re-apply for the PIP allowance for him.

This may throw some light

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/carers-allowance-ca

Someone i know returned a few years ago and she couldnt claim immediately on arrival as not all benefits are available to you when you arrive.

The google search i did for you says-

Carers allowance may be paid if you fit the residence test which stipulates ''you must have been in the UK for 104 weeks of the past 156'' which equates to 2 out of the last 3 years prior to applying.

This website provides factsheets with the correct information - https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/

Cal x

Benefits for the disabled and mentally ill are being cut massive by the Tories, the NHS is in the worst state it has been for decades. I hope you are OK when you get back but it is really getting bad.

Disabled people won’t be able to pay for essential items because of government cuts to benefits, MPs have claimed.

The new tranche of cuts to the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) were meant to encourage disabled people to find work.

But that’s been slammed by the Commons Work and Pensions Committee who said that it was: ‘ambiguous at best’.

MORE: MPs are revolting over the ‘broken’ disability benefit system

Government officials want to reduce the difference between the employment rates of the disabled and non-disabled.

That figure is referred to as the ‘disability employment gap’.

New cuts were designed to half this gap but the committee pointed out that it would require almost 1.5 million disabled people to find work.

http://metro.co.uk/2017/02/03/disability-benefit-to-be-cut-by-30-per-week-if-tory-cuts-go-ahead-6424473/

Benefits will be available to you when you arrive, you will need to meet certain criteria of course but it is certainly there. As in Australia they are tightening up on benefits which obviously makes sense. Don't panic or be put off by the political nonsense you often read on here, you will be looked after.

REALLY!!! You can promise them that can you? It's political nonsense what other members have said is it? Again Chris you are talking about something you have no idea on. Although by saying "you need to meet certain criteria" is probably your get out clause. I'm on a disability support group and thousands of people can't claim, not just the U.K but Australia as well. Parents who have a child who can't walk, talk, stand, feed themselves can't claim disability. Another came forward yesterday who is a paraplegic and was denied help.

My doctor wants me to put a claim in not for money but for help around the house, I've told him it's pointless. There was a local case recently where a guy who lost his arm in an accident was denied NDIS. These are just the ones who came forward yesterday, there are thousands more. If you don't believe me pm me and I will give you the support groups details and you can speak to all these poor people and tell them not to panic and the government will change their mind.

You will not be eligible ... currently you have to have lived in the UK for 2 years before claiming benefit. I know this because 10 months after our arrival back in UK our son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and we were told the 2 year rule at the time we placed an application for carers allowance. We will wait until March and re-apply for the PIP allowance for him.

How on earth would anybody be able to get carers allowance for a minor issue like type 1 diabetes? I speak as someone who's had type 1 diabetes for over 27 years. I've also worn glasses because I'm short-sighted for even longer - now that's more of a disability.

How on earth would anybody be able to get carers allowance for a minor issue like type 1 diabetes? I speak as someone who's had type 1 diabetes for over 27 years. I've also worn glasses because I'm short-sighted for even longer - now that's more of a disability.

It would be unusual to get carers allowance for diabetes. Children with type 1 attend school normally and parents are able to work.

However, it upsets me that people who are really in need of the allowance are being knocked back.

As I understand it, in Australia the carer's allowance is a payment to help cover the incidental costs of the disability (extra therapy,medication, travelling around etc) and you tend to get it if a doctor will certify that it should be paid after assessing your child.

This is different to a carer payment which is a welfare benefit paid to an adult to stay home and care for someone disabled, or a disability pension which an adult gets who is unable to work.

If it's just the allowance you get, you may need to check that such a payment even exists in the UK where most things are covered by the NHS.

How on earth would anybody be able to get carers allowance for a minor issue like type 1 diabetes? I speak as someone who's had type 1 diabetes for over 27 years. I've also worn glasses because I'm short-sighted for even longer - now that's more of a disability.

I know several people with diabetes back here in the UK, and someone who tried several times to get carers allowance when her father had it and encountered mobility problems, but I don't know anyone who has been successful. Maybe in this case the child has other issues too, but I'd be surprised at a carer' allowance for diabetes alone.

As I understand it, in Australia the carer's allowance is a payment to help cover the incidental costs of the disability (extra therapy,medication, travelling around etc) and you tend to get it if a doctor will certify that it should be paid after assessing your child.

 

This is different to a carer payment which is a welfare benefit paid to an adult to stay home and care for someone disabled, or a disability pension which an adult gets who is unable to work.

 

If it's just the allowance you get, you may need to check that such a payment even exists in the UK where most things are covered by the NHS.

https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/eligibility-carer-allowance

I am struggling to understand your logic ... minor issue !!!! try explaining that to the parents of kids who have died from this incurable disease ... shame on you

I know of many parents who are granted disability living allowance for their kids with type 1 diabetes ... so my apologies if I confused the two ... carers v disability living allowance, DLA requires the two year residency rule as I posted previously. I am saddened though at the usual comments, Diabetes is a major 'issue' ... children die of this disease. Parents have to change their working life/hours/commitments to take care of their children when other adults refuse to step up and assist. Too many schools are lax in their care of a type 1 child with a general huge misunderstanding of the disease. I speak from bitter experience which I would willingly trade with Sammy who seems uninformed. So, as with most life experiences, if you have no knowledge and only opinions ... then please think before you speak ... you literally have no idea

Even though I have not been a UK resident we have kept most of our National Insurance contributions up to date. So I am not sure if this will make any difference...

As I understand it, in Australia the carer's allowance is a payment to help cover the incidental costs of the disability (extra therapy,medication, travelling around etc) and you tend to get it if a doctor will certify that it should be paid after assessing your child.

 

This is different to a carer payment which is a welfare benefit paid to an adult to stay home and care for someone disabled, or a disability pension which an adult gets who is unable to work.

 

If it's just the allowance you get, you may need to check that such a payment even exists in the UK where most things are covered by the NHS.

This is makes sense, thank you.. We have lots of additional costs with seeing multiple specialists and medication for our son, so the carers allowance helps with some of this in Australia - this isn't means tested but is assessed on the needs of the child. Maybe in the UK we would not have so many out of pocket expenses in the first place...

Even though I have not been a UK resident we have kept most of our National Insurance contributions up to date. So I am not sure if this will make any difference...

It doesn't make a difference, many non-residents pay NI from abroad.

I know of many parents who are granted disability living allowance for their kids with type 1 diabetes ... so my apologies if I confused the two ... carers v disability living allowance, DLA requires the two year residency rule as I posted previously. I am saddened though at the usual comments, Diabetes is a major 'issue' ... children die of this disease. Parents have to change their working life/hours/commitments to take care of their children when other adults refuse to step up and assist. Too many schools are lax in their care of a type 1 child with a general huge misunderstanding of the disease. I speak from bitter experience which I would willingly trade with Sammy who seems uninformed. So, as with most life experiences, if you have no knowledge and only opinions ... then please think before you speak ... you literally have no idea

Actually, I have first hand experience of type 1 childhood diabetes. Perhaps my knowledge of the care allowances is at fault here, as is yours, but I am not uniformed when it comes to the disease and many parents do work which is what I said in my comment if you care to read it again.

I know of many parents who are granted disability living allowance for their kids with type 1 diabetes ... so my apologies if I confused the two ... carers v disability living allowance, DLA requires the two year residency rule as I posted previously. I am saddened though at the usual comments, Diabetes is a major 'issue' ... children die of this disease. Parents have to change their working life/hours/commitments to take care of their children when other adults refuse to step up and assist. Too many schools are lax in their care of a type 1 child with a general huge misunderstanding of the disease. I speak from bitter experience which I would willingly trade with Sammy who seems uninformed. So, as with most life experiences, if you have no knowledge and only opinions ... then please think before you speak ... you literally have no idea

Being eligible for DLA is easier to understand, carers allowance is much harder to get with tougher qualifying rules, so that many severely disabled people's carers cannot get it. Not saying that the child is not disabled and disadvantaged because of it, but I am thinking of people who are bedridden, almost permanently, in need of constant care, and their carers struggle to qualify.

This is makes sense, thank you.. We have lots of additional costs with seeing multiple specialists and medication for our son, so the carers allowance helps with some of this in Australia - this isn't means tested but is assessed on the needs of the child. Maybe in the UK we would not have so many out of pocket expenses in the first place...

Yes that is something you have to take into account, things you pay for now may well be free in the UK.