Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Ok, So being as clueless as I can be about the UK having been away so long. I am wondering if I will be entitled to any benefits when I return next year. I have been living in the US now for 28 years and I am now 44 years old/young. My house here in the Silicon Valley is under water and I would like to call it a day here in the US. I plan on finding work as soon as I can like most people returning home. I don’t want to be on the dole forever. That is if I even qualify. I also have read in the many threads that people use the term benefits but do not state what kind of benefits one may be entitled to. So would it be unemployment benefits. Housing benefits and how much would it be. I would like to know what I am facing when returning home. First steps to take etc.

Thanks for reading

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Hi

Your post has had 60 views and no replies, so I don't think it is likely many people can answer your questions as we are all in different circumstances, I returned here 9 months ago after almost 30 years in Australia, so like me you will be on a HUGE learning curve.

You may find this the best site to help you with starting to do your homework.


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/index.htm

Jobseekers Allowance is £65.00 per week for a single person, so don't start booking your trips to Paris just yet. :o

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Hi Mr BritUSA

Firstly Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) falls into 2 types. One is Contribution based and requires you to have paid sufficient UK national insurance for the previous 2 tax years. It is only paid for 6 months.

The 2nd type of JSA is means-tested (ie they look at your other income) If you have capital over a certain amount (think its £16,000) u will not qualify for this.

If you are over the UK retirement age, then Pension Credit may be available.

Housing and Council Tax Benefit are also means-tested and have the capital limits.

The benefits will also require you to meet the 'habitual residence test'. You may not meet this immediately on arrival.

Have a look at thes websites:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTax...rk/DG_10018757.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/...y/benefits.htm

Hope that helps

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Also search this forum for thread titles about JSA and Habitual residence. There are quite a few of them and they have good information including pitfalls and successes.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Qualifying for Job Seekers allowance also depends on the Class of NI you have been paying. Class 2 voluntary NI payers are not eligible for job seekers allowance.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Life for those of working age on any kind of out-of-work benefits in the UK is set to become a whole lot tougher within the next year or so.....Ian Duncan Smith, the Coalition Government (Conservative dominated) Work and Pensions Minister responsible for the administration and control of all welfare benefits, will soon be announcing all the new measures to be introduced by 2013.

This will incude the introduction of one single benefit to cover all out of work welfare payments of any kind - to be called the Universal Credit.

The conditions of entitlement will become much more stringently controlled and continued eligibility will depend on a variety of factors. One such may well include time limits of eligibility.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_191344

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

I'm not so sure things will actually prove to be much tougher. Very few of the other "tough" changes over decades actually proved to be tough.

Some of the changes introduced in 1988 cut back some allowances for a few people, but those already benefiting continued to gain from them.

Rather like until 1988 when a similar single welfare benefit applied to unemployed, sick, lone parents, pensioners, carers ;)

It will take a tough government not to water down proposals by the time they hit the statute book. Thatcher didn't manage to be tough when it came to benefits legislation.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_191344

That existed about 30 years ago too.

Sadly, when they did that in 1988, simplification meant ending those fiddly, but useful, allowances for people who had real additional expenses for disabilities while giving extra allowances to people who didn't have such expenses.

Bringing back the Unemployment Review Officer? Ooh, I'm coming over all nostalgic. :rofl:

Bringing back entitlement to cover until first wages and the cost of fares until then?

Ah. Now that might be a benefit cut.

I remember when nu-labour increased benefit allowances for kids by a lot. It gave an awful lot of people on low incomes something like an extra £30 a week per child whether they were on Income Support or in work and on Housing Benefit.

Of course, because this increased the number of people qualifying for low income benefits, poverty levels officially increased (what with there being more on benefits ;)) even though it meant families were much better off as a result.

So, in reverse, they could cut people's income to make them worse off but, Hey Presto, poverty levels go down. :sneaky:

So they're going to increase staff pay to encourage recruitment and retention so staff can gain the necessary experience to do the job well? That'll be the day.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Some in work benefits too, if they are income based i.e. Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits.

Much of the "continued eligibilty" has already started, along with other changes already in and a lot more changes to come, starting from next month.

If people take the time to read about Universal Credits, they may get a shock as it is the biggest overhaul since welfare payments began. All three political parties are supporting it.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

I think you might find that there's more than 3 political parties represented in the House of Commons?

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Hi there - the big thing here is passing the habitual residence requirements - unfortunately no hard core guidance exists for what this means, but generally you have to show that you intend to stay here long term and that you have some connections/rationale for being here. Its a pretty tricky business best take advice from Citizens Advice Bureau and expect it not to be straightforward!

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

And the many threads about it I mentioned in post number 4 :)

(sorry...don't mean that to sound sarcastic)

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

good luck i moved to the usa in 2001 to 2012 i got back to england on 10th of jan sign on 18th of jan they said i was entittle for job seekers aollows i been waiting for a cheque to come in the post i phone they upon 16th of feb they said they not going to give me any money becaise i not been in england long enough i was born here my mum,brothers,sister,cousins,nephew,nieces,were born here live here i work for the council fro 1987-2001 payed taxes they said i pass the right to resdice in the uk but fail the habitual test but i can still sign on to job seekers aollows what a load of bullshit mybe if i just came over on the bannna boat i would get houseing jsa benfits the lot ithey decide it on the 6th of feb i have got no leeter about it i had to ring they up to ask for a letter they did not know a letter was not sent out

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

@markrod

I think I see why they ruled against you.:unsure:

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

whats that then:confused:

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Id suggest the you appeal the decision, you are within your rights to do so and have nothing to lose

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

yes i am put i still not got a letter from they

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

They may not actually understand what you are asking for, I had to read it several times. Perhaps approach it a little more clearly and logically - and without the swearing and abusive comments about migrants (of whom you were one when you moved to the US) ;)

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

they know what i was askong for because they said t can get jsa are you in england it anit abusive comments its the truth and yes i was a immegrate in the us but i work there british people should be put first

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Hold up, I need to get some popcorn.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

:popcorn: There ya go. I'll share.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

With the greatest of respect is this the best you can do with regards comprehension, spelling and laying out your arguments clearly?

How do you expect to get work if you write and/or speak like this?

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

You said you were away for over ten years and a week after you're back you're off down the benefits office to make a claim. :eek: That doesn't look good.

Your post sounds a bit of a rant and the banana boat comment doesn't help. Perhaps you responded along those lines - maybe even with an indignant "but I'm British" response.

Much better to explain all those steps you took when you were moving back to the UK; that you closed your US bank accounts, wound up your housing situation over there, finished work, arranged for your belongings to be sent over, showed them your one way ticket etc etc and then also showed them all those things you had done to back up the idea that you have returned permanently; what you did for housing, how you were going to fund yourself, jobs applied for, why pick the area you were in...and anything else that builds a picture of a planned return to resettle in the UK.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

He/she wants benefits.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

If I could understand your post I might try to respond to it, as it is I think I'll join the :popcorn: brigade

:banghead:

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Have you got any extra? :lol:

Pulls seat up............

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Markrod, if you don't mind me asking...what type of work did you do while living in the USA?

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Yes I understand he is looking to get benefits;however if he articulated more clearly he might be able to get a job :) which would be more beneficial to him.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

with the greatest of respect i got a job interview and i spoke the bentfits people they said put ib appeal ror them to reconsider and has for the commnets about coming over on the banna boat i did not say that to they i not that draft its just a british term

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

i did not have a bank account in the usa the owner of the company i work for retired i was made homeless because my female friend i was with up and move to another part of the usa i was not intended to sign on when i got back to england i went straigt to my old company i worked which i worked 17 years for to see if there was any jobs there one of the reason i came back one of my family members is in poor health my mums two sisters died two years ago and my mum got no sibings my two brothers and sister and there kids who have worked all there lifes without signing on or claiming benifits i borrowed someones push bike to bike ten miles to look for a job and three miles to go to the jobcentere to look for a job they put me on a course which i bike three miles cause i got no money to get public transport

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

i was a part time labouor for min wage

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

i applied to jobs that 25 miles away i applied to ten jobs i which i got a interview for one job i rang up for one job twice the guy said he get back to me he never did one job i went for i did not score enough points on the app
so i not sitting on my butt

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

i am 44 years old he just needs some money to live on why i out of work and if that means apply for benifits well so be it

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Mark,

How did you end up coming the the US. Were you perhaps married to a US citizen or perhaps you came over as a minor with parents?

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Well good luck finding something soon. At least you're in Brighton, a place very dear to my heart.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

no i met a us lady on the internet and wanted to see the usa was like i must say its is a beautful land but there no place like your homeland

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

well thank you for your hope in me

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

Forgive me for prying, but did you marry said lady? Were you here on a work visa? It's just you don't mention that, and if your stay in the US wasn't permanent e.g. you didn't have a green card etc, then may be that could be evidence of your temporary stay overseas and why you have now take up permanent residence back in the UK. In other words you couldn't stay in the US because you did not have the proper immigration paperwork? I say this because 11 years is a very long "visit" ;)

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

no i did not marry the lady and t dtd not have the right paperwork i over stay my visa and they would not deport me because i dtd not commited a serious enough crime i did not want to stay in a homelees shelter and why now i come back to my place of birth because one of my stepfather not in good health and i not going back to the usa i volutry deport myself because the usa would not kick me out what esle your want to know

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

I don't think you could go back to the US now even if you wanted to....ever...not even for a holiday.

Good luck finding a job. At least all the cycling will keep you fit.

Re: Benefits in the UK (London)
 

MarkR: you've been criticised for not writing very lucid posts. That's valid;-because if you make written application for jobs, that will go against you.

I notice that with BE,-if responding to a quote/post (not Quick Reply),-you have the option of a spell check. This is handy, it really is,-you should click on that and use it.

I've never had a problem with spelling, but I always spell check my posts using my own installed spell checker (ieSpell).

I don't agree with some of your comments, but agree you need a fighting chance to establish yourself back in the UK. Bad spelling errors send a bad message I promise you.

Give it a go; it won't turn you into an eloquent scribe, but it will help you. And for elsewhere-install a free spell check like ieS;-it will be really handy for you.