Entitled to any benefits/help if moved from Italy?

beckysbobbles1

I am looking for some guidance please although this will be based on pre Brexit.


My boyfriend is Italy and has lived and worked in the UK for five years. He pays his taxes/NI.


He's father is considering moving over to the UK. He will be retired and will receive a pension of EUR 500 p.m.


Obviously this isn't a lot of money so myself and my boyfriend will help with his living costs.


His father will not be coming here for benefits but I wondered if he would be entitled to any help at all? Even things like NHS, will he have to pay for it?


He'll be moving as he simply can not afford to live in Italy on that money. I don't know the full financial circumstances but I don't even think he'll have much savings.


Any guidance would be helpful, thanks.

GlasweJen

He wont be immediately entitled to anything. If he has an EHIC card he can use the NHS for emergencies and the Italian government will refund the cost back to the hospital but he couldn't register with a GP for ongoing treatment for a pre-existing medical condition with this card.

He will have to live here for 6 months at least before he can apply for things like housing benefit, council tax support and the NHS the way we use it.

In this climate it would be very unwise for him to move here with no capital and such limited means to support himself. Is there nothing else he can claim in Italy?

Darksparkle

Where does he plan on living? With you or on his own?

TELLIT01

If he can't live on his pension in Italy, how will he survive here? A pension of roughly £100 per week won't go far. It certainly won't pay for housing, let alone food, utilities etc.

beckysbobbles1

Thanks for the replies.


It's all very early conversations at the moment. I have suggested he could live with us initially although obviously this isn't ideal long term.


I'm not sure what benefits are available in Italy. It's so sad that he's worked hard all he's like and doesn't have much to show for it.

tomtontom

beckysbobbles1 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.


It's all very early conversations at the moment. I have suggested he could live with us initially although obviously this isn't ideal long term.


I'm not sure what benefits are available in Italy. It's so sad that he's worked hard all he's like and doesn't have much to show for it.

Does he have no savings, no property? Retirement age is lower in Italy, is he still fit to work?

Housing support is available in Italy but it is administered regionally. Presumably he can contact someone there to establish his entitlement?

GlasweJen

If he does move over here nothing becomes automatic at 6 months. He would need to prove intention to stay here and become "ordinary resident" which could involve proving that he has a bank account here. British banks may not be keen to open a bank account for a foreign national with no previous ties here and no employment or income from the UK (I know Irish students in Scotland used to apply for an NI number to help them get a bank account, not sure if a retired person can apply for a NI number).

xylophone

My boyfriend is Italy

L'etat, c'st moi?:) (Lo stato mi e....)

Your boyfriend's father has a very modest pension which he will be paid in euros - this might or might not be to his benefit in the years to come.

Is your property large enough to share?

In this uncertain political climate, who knows what the future might hold in respect of access to healthcare etc?

beckysbobbles1

He is 70 and runs a shop in Italy. I'm unclear whether he will have any money when the shop closes. I don't think it's very profitable currently.


I have a four bedroom house so he has room to stay.


I guess I'm just trying to figure out whether it's even viable. My BF misses his Dad so much so he'll be happy for him to come over here but we need to make sure it's affordable for all.


I haven't even met him yet! We're going to Italy next week so we'll see how that goes. If it's bad, he can live in the shed lol

pmlindyloo

Before you go to Italy it would be sensible to seek advice from CAB (for example) about your boyfriends' dad being eligible for benefits once he is here.

This gives some information:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/coming-from-abroad-and-claiming-benefits-the-habitual-residence-test/eea-nationals-and-the-habitual-residence-test/eea-nationals-claiming-benefits-as-a-family-member/

Once armed with information then you will have a better idea of how to move forward.

xylophone

boyfriends' dad

OP living in a menage a trois?.....: or even more than trois?:eek: