Pollyana

As I understand it you can register straight away, although you may not be eligible at once and may have to prove you are now a U K resident - see the link posted by Old.sparkles

cheers

I'll have to read this a few more times especially the right to remain part.
I didn't know this existed. Things have really changed.
Maybe this applies to those seeking benefits.
Cheers

TheEmperorIsNaked

The link given by Old Sparkles spells it out.

Any application for non contributory benefits (unlike your NI contributions for pension), means you will have to take the Habitual Residency Test.

This is done by the Council in your County. It is to establish whether you have serious intent to stay in the UK or are just 'benefit/health care shopping'.

It is controversial because it doesn't seem to have a concrete set of guidelines, but I can see why it has come into force.
Advice is to reapply immediately if you are turned down. Many have had an original decision overturned. It can take anything from 4-8 weeks to get a decision....

I am going to have to take the HRT. It helps if you have family/strong links to the UK-a UK bank account (of course!), and didn't come in on a return ticket!! (believe it or not, some have done!!).

Advice on that test is that no does not necessarily mean no; you have to persist.

My advice to them is going to be that I will return to Australia at gunpoint only.
I'm not joking.

aries

As long as the heart attack is fatal and not badly debilitating . . .

I haven't had a burger for years, not since the vouchers two-for-the-price-of-one stopped coming into my Adelaide letter box. Our papillons went wild with delight when they smelled the burgers, it was if they had won the doggy lottery!

aries

In 1971 during one of my extended stays back in England, I went to an employment office in London looking for a temporary job. However because I was moving from a small hotel near Kings Cross Station to a flat in Bayswater I was referred to a different office.

I was shocked when they not only wanted to put me on benefits, but also wanted to pay my hotel bill. They were equally as shocked when I said thank you, but I'm not here to ask for money, they said this had not happened to them before!

Within a week I found a part-time job after looking in classified adverts in the evening paper, my independence remaining intact. Admittedly my pay was a fraction of my earnings with a Government job in Australia (which I would be returning to), and only just covered my rent in Inverness Terrace, but I enjoyed the general office work with no stress, and had some interesting experiences.

One morning an extremely angry security man from a nearby department store came blasting into the front reception. We didn't keep staff there, only a buzzer for attention, and he said that the evening before he could have been knifed or injured in the office. Apparently he had followed a shoplifter into the office but the light wasn't on. I apologised for his difficulty, but added that we couldn't foresee that a shoplifter would take refuge in our office after robbing a store three hundred yards away.

On another occasion we left work at 5.00 pm to be confronted by 7 fire engines outside and a lot of commotion. Resulting from an IRA bomb threat the whole building had been evacuated, but they had forgotten us!! It was a Government building so was a prime target.

windsong

Thank you!

old.sparkles

No worries

mikelincs

OS, your link only applies to WALES, Scotland and England may be different.

old.sparkles

Oops - Sorry didn't notice - I'll have another look

This one is for Scotland - http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotla...nefits_hrt.htm

but if you click on country name it changes

Edit - Just had another look another look and could have changed country on the original link too

windsong

Thanks again, Old.Sparkles.

old.sparkles

jasper123

Hello old sparkles I read your link, it was very interesting, I think it should help a lot of returning ex-pats, and it just about covers everything on the subject, Im pretty sure though the HRT test requirement was not in practise when I came home in late 2010, I know Cameron has been talking about these changes for quite some time now, what was also interesting was that your link said that it could take up to 6 months for a decision to be made, which reinforces the advice I have been giving for quite some time now that everyone should make sure they have enough money to last them for a good 6 months to a year, especially as finding employment is tougher now in the UK then its ever been so it seems.

old.sparkles

I think that things are gonna stay that way for a while. I know when you are emigrating the advice is the same - at least 6 months of savings, and more if you can.

cheers

So how does the weather this summer compare with last year?

Cheers

old.sparkles

summer last year was 1 week in March I think

It was still snowing when I left in April but I'm told that there's been some lovely weather for a while now