im moving back to the uk with my US husband..i know were not allowed any government help at all but does anyone know if that includes Child benefit? I have 2 kids and they have both a British passport and a Us passport..just wondering if anyone knew?
thanks
emma

Hi Emma

I am sorry I am not sure about that but check out this website

http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/childbenefit

Good Luck

P

I seem to remember my friends looked into this and they had to wait 6 months (I think) before they were entitiled to it again. We were lucky because we were only away 6 months and I had notified them early on that we were returing they treated us as being temporarily out of the country.

Susan

I returned with my canadian hubby and had to wait 1 year

It does depend on whether you are classed as being out of the country on a permanent or temporary basis, and how long you were gone for.

This is interesting - I just had UK/US friends move back after 6 years and they started recieving it straight away for their daughter with no questions asked.

I just looked into this....

Basically it depends on your situation primarily.... If you are in dire need then you can get it automatically....

Some countries have an arrangement with the UK over benefits and USA is one of them.... You may have to wait from 0 to 26 weeks, but you will not know untill you get there. I contacted them and they said they have to assess the situation once we arrive in the UK..... We are returning to the UK from USA after 7 yrs....

If you have previously claimed benefit and still have your number they can use that one otherwise you have to reapply which can take a little longer.....but not much....

Good luck...

My friends had never claimed before as their daughter was born in the US. They moved over to the UK and applied straight away while they were looking for employment. When they were notified that they would be recieving it, it was back dated to the day they landed in the UK!

I found this on the Inland Revenue web site which proves that if you return to the UK to live you can claim child benefit as you automatically become habitually resident again and therefore do not have to wait 26 weeks.

"Extra rules for people coming from abroad

You can normally get Child Benefit if you usually live in the UK and you are responsible for a child or children.

You usually live in the UK if your main home is in the UK, although you may go abroad from time to time on holiday or business. You can count as usually living in the UK even if you have only just arrived, provided you intend to remain here.

Until April 2006, you can continue to get Child Benefit even if your main home is not in the UK provided you have been entitled to Child Benefit without a break since before April 2003 and you are present in the UK or only abroad temporarily for short periods (normally lasting less than eight weeks)."