rules for holidaying abroad on income support

just want to clarify the situation for a friend we have conflicting information.

Does she have a right to go on holiday with her husband and children and NOT have her income support stopped? Her husband is on DLA middle rate care and she receives carers benefit, as well as income support. help with mortgage interest and couuncil tax etc ...... Children at school.....

She believes she can go abroad for up to 4 weeks with absolutely no change in her benefits claim.

We on the other hand were informed by the ba in 2001 if we were to go abroad we would have our benefit suspended until re entry to the uk,which i thought was fair enough and then the claim would start again from where it left off, HOWEVER the housing part of our claim (income support) ie the mortgage and council tax would start as a new claim and therefore the mortgage interest would not be paid for xx? weeks, same with council tax not sure how long that would take to be restarted....the mortgage interest part put us off going!!!!

confusing!
i would love to take my children to disneyland paris, but we would loose the house as we couldnt pay full mortgage for 26 weeks :O((((
trying hard to count my blessings while surrounded by idiots :O)
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  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,110
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    Hi

    I'm sure someone will be along who can answer your query better than i can, but might it depend on what benefits you are on? ie are you and friend on different benefits?

    I'm sure i read something similar to what you were told when i was claiming JSA in 1998 (after being made redundant). I had to sign on every 2 weeks so my absense wouldn't have gone unnoticed, not sure if you so this for IS though.

    Does this just apply to a holiday abroad though? And would you be able to go for say one week without anything being affected?
  • From DWP income support website
    If your stay abroad is temporary, you may be able to get Income Support for the first 4 weeks you are abroad. You can only do this if you are unlikely to be abroad for more than 52 weeks, would still qualify for Income Support if you had stayed in the United Kingdom, and one of the following applies to you:

    * you are incapable of work because of sickness or disability and you have gone abroad only for treatment for that sickness or disability
    * you have been incapable of work for 364 days when you go abroad, you get a pensioner premium or disability premium for a partner who is going abroad with you.


    You may be able to get Income Support for the first 8 weeks if:

    * you, or you and a member of your family, are going abroad only to help a dependant who is going abroad for medical treatment from a qualified person, and
    * you are unlikely to be abroad for more than 52 weeks, and you would still qualify for Income Support if you had stayed in the UK.


    Although I suspect many people risk taking time abroad while on Income Support, they are relying on no one reporting them. I am aware of one case where a person suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder took a winter break to sunnier climes in order to benefit her health and was in very serious trouble.
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  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,110
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    Bump for jellyhead
  • atrekkie22
    atrekkie22 Posts: 31 Forumite
    From DWP income support website

    * you have been incapable of work for 364 days when you go abroad, you get a pensioner premium or disability premium for a partner who is going abroad with you.


    ** (Snipped this post as i just need to ask a question). Im claiming severe disability premium for aspergers syndrome, does this apply "4 weeks abroad without penalty" if the IS claimant is rec the disability premium?

    Alexis
  • moggys
    moggys Posts: 6 Forumite
    i'm on income support and incapacity benefit just read this i was a bit worried as i went abroad in feb 08 for 1 week did'nt know i had to inform job centre plus phoned this morning lady said thanks for letting them no she did'nt have my ni number but as it was only for 1 week no problems
  • robnye
    robnye Posts: 5,411
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    so how does this work.... i work fulltime and my wife part time.... yet we cant afford to holiday abroad.......?
    smile --- it makes people wonder what you are up to.... ;) :cool:
  • krisskross
    krisskross Posts: 7,677 Forumite
    robnye wrote: »
    so how does this work.... i work fulltime and my wife part time.... yet we cant afford to holiday abroad.......?

    Ask Gordon Brown. I think he wants the whole nation on Government handouts.
  • Larumbelle
    Larumbelle Posts: 2,140 Forumite
    atrekkie22 wrote: »
    From DWP income support website

    * you have been incapable of work for 364 days when you go abroad, you get a pensioner premium or disability premium for a partner who is going abroad with you.


    ** (Snipped this post as i just need to ask a question). Im claiming severe disability premium for aspergers syndrome, does this apply "4 weeks abroad without penalty" if the IS claimant is rec the disability premium?

    Alexis

    Alexis, best thing to do is speak to the disability advisor at your local jobcentre or to the income support department. Make a note of who you spoke to, the date and time, and what they said, just in case ;)

    Robnye, go find a better target. It's easy enough round here. Firstly, you don't know what kind of sacrifices OP and their family have made to get the money together, or over what period of time.
    Second, I'm assuming you and your partner have your health as you do not mention receiving any DLA or similar- if so, trust me, you don't want to envy OP too much.
    Thirdly, this thread is a couple of years old. The OP have been, gone, and possibly dealt with the consequences by now.

    I agree, plenty of people who don't deserve handouts get them, but it's not the genuinely sick and disabled.
  • robnye wrote: »
    so how does this work.... i work fulltime and my wife part time.... yet we cant afford to holiday abroad.......?

    Really??? Im going to majorca for a week at the end of month- its costing me £53 for HB hotel

    If i earned that little working that I couldnt afford that then Id be majorly peed off
  • arlybarly
    arlybarly Posts: 985
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    Really??? Im going to majorca for a week at the end of month- its costing me £53 for HB hotel

    If i earned that little working that I couldnt afford that then Id be majorly peed off

    well, after paying full council tax, mortgage, school meals, prescriptions, dentist ect i have to really budget to go on holiday anywhere never mind abroad. im so glad that you can afford foreign holidays on mMY CASH while we will probably go camping in the summer as thats the only time me and oh get time off together.
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