UK Sponsor In Receipt Of Public Funds

I hope I have posted on the right board and apologise if my question has been asked before-I did look before posting but could not see anything!

I am a UK citizen who is in receipt of Income Support, DLA, Housing & Council Tax Benefits. I am flying out to The Philipinnes in August to meet my online penfriend, and we have discussed the possibility of him coming to visit me in the UK at some point after this.

I have had a look at the UK Border Agency and Visa websites and it all seems incredibly complicated, for him to come and visit for a few months, and stay with me in my home. My main concern is, despite my having savings and thus having no problem providing accomodation, food and financial support for him whilst he is visiting-my savings were ultimately derived from Public Funds paid to me!

So despite him wanting to come as a general visitor, and my being perfectly happy to support him during his visit, as he has little money himself-would it be a problem becasue of where my savings have come from?

I do hope someone can clarify this for me to give me a better understanding! Many thanks.

The support funds may well be a problem, but your biggest hurdle will be to prove to that he has strong ties to his home country and to convince the Entry Checking Officer (ECO) that he will return to the Philippines without overstaying his visitor visa. Unless he has either property, permanent employment (with evidence that this will continue), study, or family who are reliant on his support, it's very unlikely that he will be granted a visa. Even more so when he has a girlfriend in the UK.