Benefits help for Mum + 3 children returning to UK

Downunderdolphin

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could help me please? My family moved to Australia 15 months ago. I have recently separated. Two children were born in the UK and the 3rd is Australian.

Without going into too much detail it is likely that we may have to return to England. I don't know much about the benefit system or if we would even qualify for some help as we have been out of the country.

Please don't view me as a scrounger this would just be temporary measure until I can find my feet again in terms of employment etc. We have a property in England which is being occupied by tenants. They would require 4 weeks notice to vacate. The other problem is I wouldn't even be able to pay the mortgage with no income even if I asked them to move out.

I would really appreciate being pointed in the right direction. I am not expecting every free thing going. I am facing hard times here and provision for the children 7 yrs and under is just so important.

Thanks very much.

Oldernotwiser

The first thing that you have to look at is whether you will pass the Habitual Residence Test, which is designed to ensure that people aren't moving to the UK just to claim benefits. Owning a property here will be useful in this but will also affect your ability to claim means tested benefits if you aren't living in it.

seven-day-weekend

http://www.housing-rights.info/habitual-residence-test.html

Downunderdolphin

Just thought I would add I am a British Citizen and so are two of the children. Will the Australian born baby be looked at under the system or not?

nashly

Must be very sad for you having to come back to the UK as it's such a sh!thole compared to Australia.

Oldernotwiser

Downunderdolphin wrote: »

Just thought I would add I am a British Citizen and so are two of the children. Will the Australian born baby be looked at under the system or not?

You still have to pass the HRT.

Downunderdolphin

nashly wrote: »

Must be very sad for you having to come back to the UK as it's such a sh!thole compared to Australia.

If the separation never happened I would not have contemplated it. I am so desperate and so far Centerlink Australia have not approved any claims. Have a house in the UK means more investigations. The sad thing is we had to go half way around the world for things to fall apart. I will be posting for some advice on running a house and looking after 3 kids as a single parent.

A friend told me that things in UK have become very expensive, especially petrol! I haven't been back in 15 months so can't compare. In my mind I am just worried about the children and provisions for them. It shouldn't be all about the tax payer helping me though. Just a temporary provision.

McKneff

Also I would check the tennancy laws, as far as I know, and I am quite happy to be corrected but I believe landlords have to give 2 months notice to quit.

DX2

Downunderdolphin wrote: »

If the separation never happened I would not have contemplated it. I am so desperate and so far Centerlink Australia have not approved any claims. Have a house in the UK means more investigations. The sad thing is we had to go half way around the world for things to fall apart. I will be posting for some advice on running a house and looking after 3 kids as a single parent.

A friend told me that things in UK have become very expensive, especially petrol! I haven't been back in 15 months so can't compare. In my mind I am just worried about the children and provisions for them. It shouldn't be all about the tax payer helping me though. Just a temporary provision.

Will you be sorting out child support payments before you come back?

Downunderdolphin

DX2 wrote: »

Will you be sorting out child support payments before you come back?

Thanks! I hadn't even thought about this. Everything has happened so quickly and with it all my health has taken a boot. International child support hope that's not tricky.

AnxiousMum

If you are simply coming back because you can't get benefits from Centrelink (benefits to immigrants in Australia are generally not payable until you have two years of residency under your belt) you should look into the equivalent of child tax credits down there. You may find that there is a reciprocal agreement between UK and Australia for certain benefits - ie child benefit, tax credits - that type of thing.

You should also be receiving child support from your ex for support of the children, and to be perfectly honest, if the non resident parent is staying in Australia, you would be way better off to get an order made there for child support, and then it would at least be enforceable there from day one. If you come back here and then have to apply for an order, and then enforcement, this could easily set you back two years in child support payments with the NRP building up what would likely become a huge amount of arrears.

How did you enter Australia? Were you the main applicant? If you were not the main applicant then somebody may be responsible for supporting you - if you went as spouse of the main applicant, you may want to check into that as the main applicant may be financially responsible for you for a certain amount of time - that help could be in childcare while you work etc.