Going back to UK after 20 years....benefit entitlements???

[SarahJane690]

Hi, can anyone help me with this?

if a person ( still a British citizen) returns to UK after 20 years

would they be entitled to any benefits?

i guess they would want to know if you had any assets etc but if you are coming back with nothing would they help you until you got a job?

And reading another thread NHS should help with pre- existing conditions if you register with a GP first.

the intent is to stay in Uk forever.

Thanks in advance.

[AJ]

I doubt it! Not for a while anyway. We went back a couple of years ago with the intent to stay, my OH did not get any jobseekers. We applied for Tax Credits and they were also refused as they asked what he had earned the year before in Australia as they say they have to base their assessment on something. They said he had earned too much to be entitled to anything. When I pointed out that money was what we lived on for the previous year( we didnt stash it away anywhere) they were not interested. Luckily it only took him a few weeks to find a job and we have now since returned to Australia.

[Guest]

You usually have to pass the habitually resident test before you could apply for anything. I doubt you'll be eligible for anything to begin with.

 

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/wales/benefits_w/benefits_coming_from_abroad_and_claiming_benefits_hrt/benefits_the_habitual_residence_test_introduction/what_is_the_habitual_residence_test.htm

 

Register with a GP ASAP to get access to medical. Do you have an NHS number? You need one these days.

[Perthbum]

you will be able to register straight away with a doctor and will be able to claim assistance.

 

From 1 January 2014 new legislation means that you cannot satisfy the HRT in order to claim income-based Jobseeker's Allowance until you have been living in the UK or elsewhere in the common travel area for at least three months. This means that if you claim this benefit immediately on your return to the UK from outside this area you will not receive the benefit for at least three months. Even after three months you will still have to show that you are habitually resident in the UK.

If you're planning to move back to the UK and you think you will need benefits and housing straight away, think about how you would cope if you can't meet the conditions of the test.

[Marisawright]

Hi, can anyone help me with this?

if a person ( still a British citizen) returns to UK after 20 years

would they be entitled to any benefits?

i guess they would want to know if you had any assets etc but if you are coming back with nothing would they help you until you got a job?

And reading another thread NHS should help with pre- existing conditions if you register with a GP first.

the intent is to stay in Uk forever.

Thanks in advance.

 

As others have said, you need to pass the "habitually resident" test - if you can't pass it, you get nothing. There was a thread recently by a disabled person, who was on disability pension before she left the UK. When she got back to the UK, she was told she'd have to wait two years before she would be eligible again. If your situation is critical, I would be contacting the departmet before you go and get an answer straight from the horse's mouth.

[Jengle]

We also returned to the UK after 20 years in 2010, and subsequently came back to Australia at the end of 2012.

There was no problem with usual benefits such as NHS using our original National Insurance numbers.

What we hadn't envisaged was the problem of renting temporary accommodation. As we had been out of the country for longer than 3 years, and were not going straight into full-time employment, we were told by real estate agents, that we had no credit rating and that it takes 2 years of residency to re-establish this. As a result, our application and credit check (which we'd have to pay for) would fail. This was in spite of being able to demonstrate that we had money in the bank to pay the rent. We got around the problem by paying 6 months rent in advance. Good luck with your move.

[SarahJane690]

Thanks everyone for your comments. All very useful to know,

much appreciated.