Expat returning

airportgirl

Hi. My daughter has been living and working overseas for 2 and 1/2 years now. She returns home for a month at xmas and 8 weeks in the summer but all her income is from overseas.She is returning to live in UK in July when her contract finishes.
She has recently been diagnosed with a mental health condition and may find it difficult to get a job here immediately on her return. She needs to stabilise her health issues and sort out medication but intends to return to work as soon as she is able.
She will be returning with an end of contract bonus of around £10,000 which she will be able to use as living expenses. Can she claim any benefits eg job seekers or housing benefit? She worked and paid NI and Income Tax up until September 2010 but nothing since.

benefitbaby

Hi

Whilst your daughter has a right to reside for benefit purposes she is likely to struggle to show she is habitually resident in the UK. This is necessary for a claim to means-tested benefits like HB, CTB etc.

This overview should be useful - http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/benefits_e/benefits_coming_from_abroad_and_claiming_benefits_hrt.htm

Most contribution-based benefits are awarded based on the NI conts paid in the 2 tax years immediately preceding the benefit year of claim, for your daughter this would be 2010/11 and 2011/12 as she has paid conts in only one of these years she may struggle to qualify. See here for more info -
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/benefits_e/benefits_benefits_introduction_ew/national_insurance_contributions_and_benefits.htm

Thankfully she has money to tide herself over until she meets the habitual residence test and your support.

missapril75

benefitbaby wrote: »

Whilst your daughter has a right to reside for benefit purposes she is likely to struggle to show she is habitually resident in the UK...

...although she has every opportunity to make it that much easier with a planned return.

All those things that would be expected of someone settling in a new country can be sorted.

Employment ending, tenancy ending (property sold), arranging the move, belongings/furnishings moved over, accommodation arranged, closing/opening bank accounts, registering at new doctor....

Not only does she appear to be in a position to do this, she should be able to show it as well.

Just remember that some staff, in considering the HRT incorrectly apply a qualifying period.

Best not to apply too soon upon arrival.

airportgirl

Thank you for all your advice. I am trying to pre plan for her return as due to her mental health issues she does not cope very well with stress.

zoominatorone

If she isn't finished the job until July, how are her mental health issues going to be under control until then?

You say she is waiting until July to stabilise her mental health issues and then return to work. Six months from now???

I'm just wondering how my employer is going to feel when I go in and tell him I might be going on the sick in July because of my problems.. he might well ask me where I bought my crystal ball

paddedjohn

Oops, I can't come to work the first week in July because I've twisted my ankle.

Reminds me of the schoolboy joke about the kid who took a note to his PE teacher asking to be excused PE because he'd forgot his kit.

dseventy

airportgirl wrote: »

Hi. My daughter has been living and working overseas for 2 and 1/2 years now. She returns home for a month at xmas and 8 weeks in the summer but all her income is from overseas.She is returning to live in UK in July when her contract finishes.
She has recently been diagnosed with a mental health condition and may find it difficult to get a job here immediately on her return. She needs to stabilise her health issues and sort out medication but intends to return to work as soon as she is able.
She will be returning with an end of contract bonus of around £10,000 which she will be able to use as living expenses. Can she claim any benefits eg job seekers or housing benefit? She worked and paid NI and Income Tax up until September 2010 but nothing since.

My bold.

This does not make any sense.

She has mental health issues that she needs to "sort" and get medication.

But none of this stops her working in her current role until July?

Huh?

D70

missapril75

dseventy wrote: »

Huh?
D70

I'm guessing that financial well being is considerably helped by continuing with the current contract - that nice £10k bonus.

The health issue may be considerably helped by her presence in the UK; Familiarity, affordable medication, support mechanisms etc.

Seems logical enough.

airportgirl

She is currently living in UAE and is spending 60% of her salary on medication and healthcare as unfortunately mental health is not recognised on her health cover provided by her employer. She is continuing with her contract which finishes in July thanks to a lot of help and support from her employer.

Unfortunately they will not be renewing her contract for next year due to her bipolar disorder.She therefore has no choice but to return to the UK. She cannot apply for employment in the UK until she returns as she is not available for interviews. As she works in education recruitment for September start dates will be completed by the time she returns in July.She is hoping to get some supply work when it becomes available.

Unfortunately as she has only recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder her required medication is still being sorted out. This means at the moment she does not deal with stress well at all. Hopefully by July she will be more stable and better able to deal with the stress of having to give up a career she loves in a country she loves and returning to no home and no job in UK. She will of course have the support of her family here which will hopefully be a benefit to her health.

I asked the question as I am trying to be as prepared as possible for her return. My family have been fortunate enough to have no experience of the benefit system or of mental health issues so it is a big learning curve for everyone.

RAS

Hi

She might be able to apply for a few job on-line in the last weeks before she returns but I suspect getting her mental health situation stabilised is going to be priority.

Dunroamin

Does she work in the UAE for a UK employer?