Just a quick question,

what did you all do about your family allowance payments once you were in Canada? I have phoned them and we are supposed to let them know if we leave the country for more than 6 weeks.

We are coming out on a 2 year work permit and until we have PR I would rather carry on claiming it in the uk in case we don't stay. I don't think it is fraud as canada apparently has a reciprocal agreement with the uk which means if canadians come here they can claim and vice versa.

Kerry

So claim the canadian version then.

If you are not a UK resident, you shouldnt be claiming the benefits.

The canadian equivalents are the CCTB and UCCB
www.cra-arc.gc.ca/benefits/cctb/menu-e.html
www.cra-arc.gc.ca/benefits/uccb/menu-e.html

We informed them to stop our payments as we are no longer resident in the UK. Seems logical to me that if you no longer reside in the UK then you cannot claim benefit of any kind from the government. Would it not be fraudulent?

If you reside in Canada you would apply the the Canadian equivalent of family allowance here.

Sorry if it sounds blunt, but I have read a similar thread in the Oz forum and certain people were actively encouraging people to keep claiming. Sorry but that pisses me off

Thanks for the link Iain.

I must get my head into gear and check it all out (only been here a few months so head still a bit scrambled). I don't know if I am able to claim whilst on a WP or not. Would I have to wait for PR? Does anyone know?

If I had PR we would definatley transfer it over but until we know for certain we are staying it will probally take longer to process the change than the work permit is for. I just think 6 weeks is too short to gauge it

I believe its based on tax residency, not permanent residency, but I didnt have kids when I was on a WP, so cant vouch for that.

You will lose UK child benefit immediately, if you intend to leave the UK permanently(more than 52 weeks). The most you can claim is 8 weeks if you expect to leave temporarily(less than 52 weeks).

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/cbtmanual/CBTM10030.htm

You are unlikely to be eligible for the Canadian equivalent until you have been in Canada on a WP for 18 months or become a PR, whichever happens sooner. All the info is on the sites Iaink gave links for

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings. Just when the money would be useful, you can't have it!!

We left the UK 3 years ago, and have been in Canada for 12 months and we became PR yesterday so I can claim child benefit for the first time in over 3 years. We couldn't claim Child Benefit in the UK even though my husband had part of his salary paid there(tax and NI paid on it) for the first 2 years.

If the law says 6 weeks, and you are looking ultimately at 2 years plus, then is definately fraudulent to keep claiming it!!!

Trying to deal with the UK benefit system from canada to cancel the payment will be a major pain, as the usual numbers wont work from afar, and being on hold for 20minutes at international rates is no fun...if you can even find a number for what you want to do.

Congratulations on new PR status

Just another point. If you were to go back to the UK you can claim child Benefit straight away if you go back with the intention of staying and are legally resident.

That sucks a big one

Congratulations on your elevated status

It does!!! And Thank You.

Thank You, we thought it would never happen!!

Thank you Karen, your advice was most helpful, so much for the reciprocal agreement .

I didn't think the woman on the end of the phone understood what a work permit was or the situation we were going to Hence the reason for the thread.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/bene...sa20-oct05.pdf