Family living abroad returning home without job or money

bioboybill

Just to be clear, my brother-in-law and SIL haven't mentioned claiming benefits at all. I was just asking what they might get if unable to work due to illness in my BIL's case and if she had trouble finding work in my SIL's case. For all I know they might just get jobs or go abroad again. I haven't a clue.

TELLIT01

Is the sister-in-law a UK national?

born_again

bioboybill said:

Just to be clear, my brother-in-law and SIL haven't mentioned claiming benefits at all. I was just asking what they might get if unable to work due to illness in my BIL's case and if she had trouble finding work in my SIL's case. For all I know they might just get jobs or go abroad again. I haven't a clue.

The real purpose of this thread is to ask what benefits they might be entitled to, but I wanted to give some background. I've never claimed anything in my life, so I don't know how they go about it. 

From your 1st post, so while they may have not done, it was a question asked.
Which TBH, given the section posted in is the only answers will be about.

If they are planning coming back to UK, then they need to investigate, just where & how they are going to live in the UK. Given their situation.

Ordinary_Yet_Unique

itsthelittlethings said:

Ordinary_Yet_Unique said:

Personally I would step back and heed the suggestions made by other posters. Your brother has made  choices during the past few years, including financial ones, and has to own them. Likewise your SIL has also been free to choose her lifestyle, including decisions whether or not to work. 

I can only suggest they should be encouraged to check out if they can receive any financial support in terms of pensions or otherwise from countries in which they have lived for the past 30 years. Again they are adults and need to take responsibility for their financial futures.
It is not reasonable for them to expect to be able to return to the U.K. after such a long absence and be supported by the welfare system, having made hardly any contributions in terms of NI and tax. 

I think that’s a bit unfair. They do have a right to return and claim benefits and use the health service once they have established habitual residence.

But they still have to take some responsibility for the situation in which they find themselves. MSE at times can be a little too concerned with rights rather than responsibilities and obligations IMHO.
They can claim after establishing habitual residence, but my point is they also have to have a plan to help themselves too.

marcia_

starting_again_in_the_sun said:

We moved back to the UK after 8 years abroad and claimed UC after 2 months.

It was referred to a Decision maker, but they just asked for our passports.

Not sure if it was easier as we were both working and mainly using UC to pay for childcare.

 It will have been your employment status. That proves usual residence and intent to stay, not a visit in order to access services 

sheramber

bioboybill said:

Just to be clear, my brother-in-law and SIL haven't mentioned claiming benefits at all. I was just asking what they might get if unable to work due to illness in my BIL's case and if she had trouble finding work in my SIL's case. For all I know they might just get jobs or go abroad again. I haven't a clue.

 But you have paid for ferry fares for them to come to UK  so the intention was there. 

, at least for your SIL. 


 Does their dog have a current passport which is required to allow the dog to enter UK without going into quarantine kennels?

HampshireH

Uriziel said:

There are benefit calculators so just tell her to use this and tell you what she can claim. If I remember correctly she should be entitled to have housing benefit. You however wrote that she has barely done any work in the last 30 years and now she is old which means that she has probably barely done any work at all and was happy to live off the guy. Bearing that in mind it sounds like she quite fancies the idea of having other people serve her so I cannot imagine her living alone even if they paid her housing benefit. I think she would much rather live in your home where dishes will wash themselves and food will be prepared. I think it is very clear that she is going to be living with you permanently. Instead of telling us, have you told her that you do not want her to live with you? It sounds like you struggle to speak to her clearly and you're trying to ask strangers what she is entitled to incentivise her to claim benefits and stay away from you. Why are you asking and not her? Is she your child? Is this not an actual old woman? Are women not meant to be independent and the usual? Why is she not checking online what she is entitled to while she plans her return back to the UK? You need to accept that this is a child who has lived off a man for all of her life and now she is going to be living off you. If she was an adult she would have never left the UK without a work visa. Why would anyone live in any country without being able to work? The husband very obviously is not rich either. I think you're wasting your time looking at benefits. Are you sure she would even bother or be willing to start claiming any benefits which will include her going to meetings and calls and filling out forms or will you do that for her as well?

This post comes across as incredibly judgemental. From OPs post there is evidently financial control from the husband. He is making financial decisions which she has no control over and is potentially detrimental to them.

(Of course we don't have the full details. Their rental agreement may say they will be taken to court etc if rent isn't paid and therefore walking away not paying the rent may be a far more expensive mistake to make and the husband may be doing what he believes is right rather than being pig headed)

He has spent OP money happily knowing he isn't in a position to continue the outlay or pay it back.

Nothing about the OPs post suggests this SIL would sit around doing nothing and expect to be waited on hand and foot.

It's been made clear the husband was earning good money to maintain their lifestyle - until his wasn't and ultimately she had to care for him (a reasonable assumption considering he couldn't work for 8 months recovering from a stroke)

What is apparent is that they aren't communicating properly. It sounds like a huge breakdown in their relationship in trust.

It's odd that someone would pay for a one way ferry ticket, putting themselves into debt for a couple who haven't both said they want to use it. 

OP Be careful you're not seen as interfering in their marriage as the Husband could quite easily resent your involvement, especially if it ends in his wife leaving him making things difficult for everyone.

Rubyroobs

Uriziel said:

There are benefit calculators so just tell her to use this and tell you what she can claim. If I remember correctly she should be entitled to have housing benefit. You however wrote that she has barely done any work in the last 30 years and now she is old which means that she has probably barely done any work at all and was happy to live off the guy. Bearing that in mind it sounds like she quite fancies the idea of having other people serve her so I cannot imagine her living alone even if they paid her housing benefit. I think she would much rather live in your home where dishes will wash themselves and food will be prepared. I think it is very clear that she is going to be living with you permanently. Instead of telling us, have you told her that you do not want her to live with you? It sounds like you struggle to speak to her clearly and you're trying to ask strangers what she is entitled to incentivise her to claim benefits and stay away from you. Why are you asking and not her? Is she your child? Is this not an actual old woman? Are women not meant to be independent and the usual? Why is she not checking online what she is entitled to while she plans her return back to the UK? You need to accept that this is a child who has lived off a man for all of her life and now she is going to be living off you. If she was an adult she would have never left the UK without a work visa. Why would anyone live in any country without being able to work? The husband very obviously is not rich either. I think you're wasting your time looking at benefits. Are you sure she would even bother or be willing to start claiming any benefits which will include her going to meetings and calls and filling out forms or will you do that for her as well?

New claims for housing benefit for people under state pension age have not existed for some years now. the person in question would need to claim Universal credit if eligible.

Muttleythefrog

Uriziel said:

There are benefit calculators so just tell her to use this and tell you what she can claim. If I remember correctly she should be entitled to have housing benefit. You however wrote that she has barely done any work in the last 30 years and now she is old which means that she has probably barely done any work at all and was happy to live off the guy. Bearing that in mind it sounds like she quite fancies the idea of having other people serve her so I cannot imagine her living alone even if they paid her housing benefit. I think she would much rather live in your home where dishes will wash themselves and food will be prepared. I think it is very clear that she is going to be living with you permanently. Instead of telling us, have you told her that you do not want her to live with you? It sounds like you struggle to speak to her clearly and you're trying to ask strangers what she is entitled to incentivise her to claim benefits and stay away from you. Why are you asking and not her? Is she your child? Is this not an actual old woman? Are women not meant to be independent and the usual? Why is she not checking online what she is entitled to while she plans her return back to the UK? You need to accept that this is a child who has lived off a man for all of her life and now she is going to be living off you. If she was an adult she would have never left the UK without a work visa. Why would anyone live in any country without being able to work? The husband very obviously is not rich either. I think you're wasting your time looking at benefits. Are you sure she would even bother or be willing to start claiming any benefits which will include her going to meetings and calls and filling out forms or will you do that for her as well?

I think you're running away with judgements here... we simply don't have this kind of insight into this 3rd party's life/lives, characters or personalities and intentions... we don't even know if those 3rd parties (the subjects) intend to remain together which is kind of fundamental to any advice sought. They seem to have lived successfully abroad for decades which would imply they have had capacity to manage their lives together and funds to do so. I do share your concerns the Op could get dragged into a quagmire. And yes they/she could not claim Housing Benefit - instead they would have to claim Universal Credit and try to get the housing element if relevant under the current system.

Ultimately given all the lacking information and lack of direct access to relevant parties... the best advice seems to me to be they need to seek advice themselves as they see fit... it's hard to pin anything down in fact here to provide any tailored advice... which the Op seems to accept.

Muttleythefrog

Ordinary_Yet_Unique said:

itsthelittlethings said:

Ordinary_Yet_Unique said:

Personally I would step back and heed the suggestions made by other posters. Your brother has made  choices during the past few years, including financial ones, and has to own them. Likewise your SIL has also been free to choose her lifestyle, including decisions whether or not to work. 

I can only suggest they should be encouraged to check out if they can receive any financial support in terms of pensions or otherwise from countries in which they have lived for the past 30 years. Again they are adults and need to take responsibility for their financial futures.
It is not reasonable for them to expect to be able to return to the U.K. after such a long absence and be supported by the welfare system, having made hardly any contributions in terms of NI and tax. 

I think that’s a bit unfair. They do have a right to return and claim benefits and use the health service once they have established habitual residence.

But they still have to take some responsibility for the situation in which they find themselves. MSE at times can be a little too concerned with rights rather than responsibilities and obligations IMHO.
They can claim after establishing habitual residence, but my point is they also have to have a plan to help themselves too.

Maybe... but we're here to give advice of lawful entitlements.... not social judgement or moral courts. Many people won't plan ahead or take responsibility for such or their choices. If two people end up with similar disabilities and a need to claim PIP following a car crash where one was responsible and the other an innocent victim it makes no difference to entitlement... it might seem morally very different where I am sure many would have far more sympathy for the need to claim following being victim to crime rather than being the criminal.