Benefits Withdrawn

[Tiernan]

My friend is from Latvia ( EU member country) and has been married to a British Citizen and living in London for 10 years. Sadly her husband passed away recently. Prior to his death she had been claiming benefits (Housing Benefit and ESA) she has since been informed (in writing) that she is no longer entitled to any benefits because she is not a British citizen. She has not claimed naturalisation. She has serious mental health illness and is now at risk of losing her home. Is it correct that she is not entitled to any benefits despite being married to a BC and has lived here for so long? Thank you.

[Wanderer]

Does she have Latvian citizenship or is she one of the non-citizens that did not receive citizenship due to not learning the Latvian language (mainly ethnic Russians)?

[Tiernan]

Does she have Latvian citizenship or is she one of the non-citizens that did not receive citizenship due to not learning the Latvian language (mainly ethnic Russians)?

She is aLatvian citizen. Thanks

[secret.simon]

Has she exercised treaty rights (working, job-seeking, studying with health insurance or self-sufficient) in the UK for any continuous period of five years? She may then have acquired PR status.