Benefit Entitlement Returning to UK after working abroad for 30+ years

bioboybill

Hi,

I wonder if anybody could give me some advice on this:

My sister-in-law and her husband have been abroad for 30+ years. He has been doing contract work in lots of different countries, and she has done a few part-time jobs, but hasn't worked for the last 6 or 7 years. They currently live in Denmark, and he had a stroke last summer, lost his job and hasn't worked since. He is applying for jobs there, but for the first time in his life he is not being successful. If he doesn't find employment by the end of April they have to leave Denmark.

They are both around 58, and it seems that he is in charge of all the finances and hasn't been sensible with money. My sister-in-law doesn't even know if he has pension provision! If he doesn't find work soon it seems likely that they will have to return to the UK, and they have no house here, having sold it about 25 years ago. My sister-in-law says the money they have is running out fast. The likelihood is they will have to come and live with us, or make alternative arrangements.

Does anybody know what benefits they would be entitled to, or whether they would get any help with finding accommodation? I have looked on benefit calculators, but none seem to take account of you working abroad for many years.

Voyager2002

On arrival they would not be entitled to anything, not even routine medical treatment. They would have to register with a GP and declare that they were now resident in the UK, and that would quickly establish their right to NHS care. As for benefits, they should certainly make contact with the DWP and register for work, but it would probably take about six weeks before they had demonstrated that their home was now the UK and only at that point could they start to receive benefits (not back-dated).

elsien

They need to check the habitual residence test but are very unlikely to be able to claim straight away.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/get-support/information-for-your-situation/habitual-residence-test/benefits-the-habitual-residence-applies-to
Is there a reason that his wife is not able to get a job to help support them? 

Flugelhorn

I think one of the things to check first is the habitual residence test https://www.housing-rights.info/habitual-residence-test.php 

elsien

With regards to housing, if he has recovered from his stroke and his is well enough to work he is not going to have a lot of grounds to jump the housing list. He will need to register for housing and then see what priority they give him, but depending on an area it could be a long wait.

if he does manage to get a job and they stay your sister-in-law needs to start to take some control otherwise, retirement age they may find themselves in the same situation again if they have to leave Denmark at that point. 

Flugelhorn

just to say re accommodation - it is in incredibly short supply, they would be low priority if they were living with you - they might be advised to try private rentals etc 

bioboybill

I guess the problem with private rentals is that they may have no money. I'm asking these questions a bit in the dark, because my sister-in-law has tried to talk to her husband about it, but he's just telling her to shush.

Flugelhorn

bioboybill said:

I guess the problem with private rentals is that they may have no money. I'm asking these questions a bit in the dark, because my sister-in-law has tried to talk to her husband about it, but he's just telling her to shush.

that is a problem - private rentals are not cheap and these days they want to see evidence of income and before the renters rights bill come in, some want people to pay several months up front or have a guarantor

Presume he just has his head in the sand about all this? I have a feeling you could have them with you for a very long time

elsien

I think your sister-in-law needs to say to her husband that it is unrealistic to work abroad for prolonged periods, paying nothing into the system, apparentlymaking no p provision for the future then hoping to walk  back into housing /benefits so she needs to know their full financial situation Because it affects her just as much as it affects him

Pookieface

Hi All, l don't know if l can be of help here. I lived abroad for 6 years, met my partner and then we decided to live in the UK . We lived with my Dad but we were only allowed for a limited time as it was kind of sheltered housing. Council would'nt help with accommodation which we kind of knew but thought we would ask. We went to the job centre and both had to do HRT test. My partner joined a job agency and managed to get agency work ( still living with Dad at this point) Next thing was to look for a private rental. We found a studio flat, applied and got accepted but when we took the paperwork in, as partner was in agency work although ongoing with the same company, we could'nt put just one months rent as a deposit it had to be six months!!! We did'nt give up and went to a local credit union and they took a massive chance on us and helped us. Eventually my partner got a full contract with the same company. Nearly 8 years later and after 3 promotions for my partner, we are still in the same studio flat and still loving it. 

So coming back from abroad can be done but don't expect it to be straight forward.

bioboybill

elsien said:

I think your sister-in-law needs to say to her husband that it is unrealistic to work abroad for prolonged periods, paying nothing into the system, apparentlymaking no p provision for the future then hoping to walk  back into housing /benefits so she needs to know their full financial situation Because it affects her just as much as it affects him

I don't think he expects to walk back into housing and benefits at all. He wants to work, and he has never been on benefits in his life, but I'm worried he might not get a job so easily, and of course it financially impacts on us. I agree regarding my sister-in-law, but she has always been the junior partner in that relationship, and she has put up with it.

Of course he may have money that she knows nothing about, and he may have his own private pension that she's unaware of. I'm asking now, so that I'm not lumbered if the worst happens, as I know nothing about the benefits system, having worked all my life and never claimed.