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what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Old Oct 9th 2007, 6:25 am
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Default what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

long story short: left uk at 16, been abroad all these years, moving back to uk next year...17 years later... as a single mum to one boy.

i have never paid taxes in uk because i have never worked. Am i able to apply for any benefits upon my return? what would those be?

And from a point of view of working with a 7 year old child to care for, would it be better to work p/t than f/t? in terms of benefits received.

thanks in advance for your help.

sharon
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Old Oct 9th 2007, 12:53 pm
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by Hong Konger
long story short: left uk at 16, been abroad all these years, moving back to uk next year...17 years later... as a single mum to one boy.

i have never paid taxes in uk because i have never worked. Am i able to apply for any benefits upon my return? what would those be?

And from a point of view of working with a 7 year old child to care for, would it be better to work p/t than f/t? in terms of benefits received.

thanks in advance for your help.

sharon
I dont know the answer but I do know someone from Poland who has moved here and they wont allow him to claim any benefits as he hasnt been in the UK for a required period (not sure if its six months or more).

I think he was told he had to work for a qualifying period before getting benefits. Whether or not this is different in your case I dont know.

Good luck though.
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Old Oct 9th 2007, 5:35 pm
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Question Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by Hong Konger
long story short: left uk at 16, been abroad all these years, moving back to uk next year...17 years later... as a single mum to one boy.

i have never paid taxes in uk because i have never worked. Am i able to apply for any benefits upon my return? what would those be?

And from a point of view of working with a 7 year old child to care for, would it be better to work p/t than f/t? in terms of benefits received.

thanks in advance for your help.

sharon
It's all listed on this very same forum in the green 'sticky' bit at the top of the page....."Information for Returning British Citizens".

What about the child's father.....is he allowing your child to return to the UK? Is he going to pay maintainence for your child? This will need to be taken into account if you're going to apply for benefits. (Is the father British?).
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Old Oct 10th 2007, 3:12 am
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by Englishmum
It's all listed on this very same forum in the green 'sticky' bit at the top of the page....."Information for Returning British Citizens".

What about the child's father.....is he allowing your child to return to the UK? Is he going to pay maintainence for your child? This will need to be taken into account if you're going to apply for benefits. (Is the father British?).

ok read that, thanks. yes he is allowing our child to return to the UK, initially he won't be able to afford to pay child maintainance for our child, so i have to do it alone. the father is not british, he is from HK.
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Old Oct 10th 2007, 12:01 pm
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Hi, firstly do yo have a dual nationality or have you remained with a UK nationality, or which passport do you hold? Are there any restrictions on your passport? If you return to the UK and make a claim for benefits, (im going to presum since you will be a lone parent) that you will make a claim to Income Support. Once they take your claim they will ask a series of questions regarding your time out of the UK, which will then be sent to a decision maker who will decided if you have condition of entiltlement to the benefit, (anyone who has been out of the UK for longer than 2 years normally gets nilled), so you would have to find a job working 16hrs or more per week and claim WTC & CTC to top up your wages, but this can only be paid once your have Child Benefit in payment for your child. Hope this helps
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Old Oct 10th 2007, 2:41 pm
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Read this page to see if you will meet the Habitual Residence Test
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Old Oct 10th 2007, 7:20 pm
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

I hope they can help u out i'm in a simular baot my self cept i don't have any kids yet. Do u have any family who can help u out in the uk with baysitting and stuff?
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Old Oct 11th 2007, 1:52 am
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by cheekivimto07
Hi, firstly do yo have a dual nationality or have you remained with a UK nationality, or which passport do you hold? Are there any restrictions on your passport? If you return to the UK and make a claim for benefits, (im going to presum since you will be a lone parent) that you will make a claim to Income Support. Once they take your claim they will ask a series of questions regarding your time out of the UK, which will then be sent to a decision maker who will decided if you have condition of entiltlement to the benefit, (anyone who has been out of the UK for longer than 2 years normally gets nilled), so you would have to find a job working 16hrs or more per week and claim WTC & CTC to top up your wages, but this can only be paid once your have Child Benefit in payment for your child. Hope this helps
i have dual nationality, my uk passport plus permanent ID card in HK, there are no restrictions on my pp. thanks for the info. if i worked p/t does that mean i have to work 16 hrs or more a week to be entitled to benefits?
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Old Oct 11th 2007, 1:55 am
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by Cjvolitan
I hope they can help u out i'm in a simular baot my self cept i don't have any kids yet. Do u have any family who can help u out in the uk with baysitting and stuff?
me too, sometimes i wonder i should stay put, yes all my family r back home and will help me with my son bbsit etc. but i want to work p/t so i have the time to look aftee my own son rather than dump him on my sis. all the time. if i worked f/t my sis would have to take him to/from school and i heard that the benefits i could claim would be better for me from working p/t vs f/t, is that the case?
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Old Oct 11th 2007, 9:24 am
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by Hong Konger
i have dual nationality, my uk passport plus permanent ID card in HK, there are no restrictions on my pp. thanks for the info. if i worked p/t does that mean i have to work 16 hrs or more a week to be entitled to benefits?
Yes you would have to work 16hrs or more to get Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Working full time normally doesn't work out beneficial for single parents, so stick to p/t hours. But you need to apply for child benefit first. Do you have a National Insurance Number for the UK? Since you where living in the UK upto the age if 16, theres a slim chance one was issued to you, and you will need it, if not dont worry you can apply for one once you arrive back to the UK. Hope this helps.
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Old Oct 11th 2007, 11:49 am
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by Hong Konger
me too, sometimes i wonder i should stay put, yes all my family r back home and will help me with my son bbsit etc. but i want to work p/t so i have the time to look aftee my own son rather than dump him on my sis. all the time. if i worked f/t my sis would have to take him to/from school and i heard that the benefits i could claim would be better for me from working p/t vs f/t, is that the case?
Sorry i can't help with the dession as to whether the benifits would be better if u worked part time ,or full time as i have not made the move back to the uk as yet. .but i would think it would be better to work full time and not claim for benifits in the long term.My sister had to inicailly claim benifits when she went to the uk, jobsekers and housing etc. now that she has a job and is in uni the banks still wont give her a bank card or overdraft, cell companies won't let her get the better phones with packages and in genranl she doesn't get what she is in titlted to because her 'credit history' says she has been on welfare and is thus deemed a financial risk!
So if u can make do with f/t and don't claim as much beifits i would say go that way. just my two cents i mean two pence

Last edited by Cjvolitan; Oct 11th 2007 at 11:52 am.
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Old Oct 16th 2007, 8:15 am
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by cheekivimto07
Yes you would have to work 16hrs or more to get Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Working full time normally doesn't work out beneficial for single parents, so stick to p/t hours. But you need to apply for child benefit first. Do you have a National Insurance Number for the UK? Since you where living in the UK upto the age if 16, theres a slim chance one was issued to you, and you will need it, if not dont worry you can apply for one once you arrive back to the UK. Hope this helps.
ohh i dunno, could be long gone....
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Old Oct 18th 2007, 6:12 am
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by Hong Konger
long story short: left uk at 16, been abroad all these years, moving back to uk next year...17 years later... as a single mum to one boy.

i have never paid taxes in uk because i have never worked. Am i able to apply for any benefits upon my return? what would those be?

And from a point of view of working with a 7 year old child to care for, would it be better to work p/t than f/t? in terms of benefits received.

thanks in advance for your help.

sharon

You will be able to claim loads, I am sure.

Book yourself into a hostel and say you are destitute.

Upon a couple of weeks,

you will have a council flat/home
Cash Loan
Council Tax Paid
Kids clothing allowance
Job Seekers
Family allowance
GEt a low paid job under theminimum hours, you will get family and working tax credits to look after your kids.
Say you are disabled you will get a mobility car.
and dont forgt the more kids you have the more jackpot cash rolls in.

its there for your taking, go for it......remember its about learning what is there to take, as no-one will tell you

But honestly Sharon, taking into account your circumstance, help will be hand I am sure. In a humane and compassionate way.
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Old Oct 18th 2007, 6:50 am
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

Originally Posted by on a mission
You will be able to claim loads, I am sure.

Book yourself into a hostel and say you are destitute.

Upon a couple of weeks,

you will have a council flat/home
Cash Loan
Council Tax Paid
Kids clothing allowance
Job Seekers
Family allowance
GEt a low paid job under theminimum hours, you will get family and working tax credits to look after your kids.
Say you are disabled you will get a mobility car.
and dont forgt the more kids you have the more jackpot cash rolls in.

its there for your taking, go for it......remember its about learning what is there to take, as no-one will tell you

But honestly Sharon, taking into account your circumstance, help will be hand I am sure. In a humane and compassionate way.

hee hee thanks, im not that bad in fact i will have some savings to bring with me to help me get started. i dont want to plead poverty....

my sis, in uk, is telling me to get a f/t job and apply for WTC and CB which i guess would maximise my income huh. well i will only know when i come next yr. thanks
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Old Oct 18th 2007, 7:23 am
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Default Re: what benefits can i claim upon arrival?

The way the gov is set up, truthfully suits your situation, and in some respect quite rightly so too.

Your savings are your savings, dont declare them...dont see why you should.

The FT, WT and CB, look at that the thresholds, for your hours, as it makes sense sometimes not too work too many hours as I found out, as you end up worse off.

Sure you will work it out anyhow....

take it easy
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