magnification

Mr Formula - just thinking ahead to assess possible situation.
Once stuck with relatives, guess local govt won't want to pay HB for anybody.
Hopefully, will be at pension age when this occurs in next few years.

not2old

one more to add to the list

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit

If you’re claiming other benefits

You can claim Universal Credit instead of:

Jobseeker’s Allowance
Housing Benefit
Working Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit
Employment and Support Allowance
Income Support

also, if you are currently past 60+ & somewhere before state pension age, you may likely qualify for this

https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit

https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator

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formula

The UK's retirement age is 68(?). There are changes coming for Pension Credit and the UK state pension.

not2old

state pension age

https://www.gov.uk/calculate-state-pension

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...-timetable.pdf

formula

UC is replacing all those benefits and Brits still need to to wait 3 months if you have been outside the UK for a while.

Not that you get a choice of UC or all the benefits that are getting replaced by UC. UC is being rolled out across the country and if your area is on UC, then you have to abide by the new welfare rules of condionality for UC.

UC is not good for those who don't work or for those who don't meet their minimum income level floor each month for UC; but it's better for families where parents work a full week and only earn national minimum wage.

Turn2us have a list of which areas are next.
http://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-gu...#guide-content

formula

It's Mrs

The thing is with HB is that you need to show a contract for a rental property, to get HB. If you find a private place, rent it and then apply for HB. You can look on that areas council site before you sign anthing to see the maximum you would be able to claim in HB (or LHA as it's called for private housing). The CAB would be able to calculate for you just how much HB you would be given based on your income, savings and capital, before you sign a rental contract.

If you are talking about being given social housing, that is different thing and you would need to see what the demand is like in the area you are moving to. The further north you go, the better chance of housing. Plus there has been a run on 1 bedroom social housing since benefits stopped paying for any spare rooms in social housing that the non workers had. The private renters had already had their HB reduced before the social tenants.

The pension credit benefit is changing too both for the savings PC and for those with a partner below state pension age. Plus the new state pension amount will now mean people can't claim pension credit as they have too much income and therefore they can't get all the passported benefits that PC gave i.e. some of the rent/mortgage paid and all the council tax paid. That's if the pension credit benefit even survives the UK's new annual welfare bill cap that has to start this tax year as parliament voted that in.

magnification

Thanks Mrs F

not2old

isn't this turning into a useful information on benefits thread!!

I'm sure there is lots more to add when questions arise .....just saying

formula

It started off as an NHS thread while visiting and then the OP wanted to know his options on being able to claim for housing help if he returned to the UK. Some people like to plan before they make a decision to avoid any nasty surprises.

formula

You're welcome. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

rebeccajo

magnification originally asked about use of the NHS upon return to the UK. I don't know anyone who is British that wouldn't wonder the same thing, do you?

As for welfare reform and Universal Credit, the roll-out will take some time. Current projections are for UC to be UK-wide by 2019. So I can't see that this affects magnification in the least.

Universal credit (UC) | Disability Rights UK

http://www.nao.org.uk/report/univers...ress-update-2/

not2old

thanks for pointing that out, now the OP can make a decision on a move back to the UK to see which areas that have UC in place

from my post #17 above

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit

and within that link, the OP could check...

https://www.gov.uk/jobcentres-where-...iversal-credit

magnification

Whether using UC or the existing system - does this make any difference to
anything?

formula

Unless he is of UK state pension age when he moves back. UC is for those of working age who want benefits.

If under state pension age and is is planning to work, then he is much better off finding an area operating UC as it won't be a cliff edge drop of benefits when he finds work, as it is now under JSA. ie find work on JSA, then you lose all the JSA money; find work on UC, then you will still get some UC money based on your new wage to help you get back on your feet.

It's not true that UC will make claimants worse off. Those that meet their minimum income floor each week or those who find work after a spell on UC, will often be better off on UC. Those that do as little work as they can; a practice called 'maximising my benefits'; will be a lot worse off under UC as they will be hit by the benefit cap for each household when they lose that transitional protection and have to attend workfare.


The UC planned roll out from turn2us

During 2016

Current plans will see new claims to existing benefits closed during 2016. This will mean that all new benefit claimants across the country will claim Universal Credit instead of the benefits it replaces.
2016 - 2017

Most existing benefit claimants will be moved over to Universal Credit during 2016 and 2017. However, it has now been acknowledged that at least 700,000 claimants will not be on Universal Credit by the end of 2017.

Decisions on the later stages of the Universal Credit roll-out will be informed by the completion of the new IT system as this will determine the final details for how people move to Universal Credit.
Turn2us - Universal Credit roll-out 2015-2017

not2old

to add to post 28 & 29 (thanks formula)

OP, the age will you be when you return to the UK, with or without dependants, the area that you move to, will impact any of the benefits that you've been asking about that you may qualify for, or likely entitled to, including those from ...HB, JSA, UC, pension credit etc & of course the HRT requirements that was discussed so far in this thread

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...027-102014.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator

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