Can I stop work and apply for housing benefits after PR

[Kaalo1980]

Hi dear forum members
Can I stop work and apply for housing benefits and child tax credit after receiving my PR. Does these benefits will effect my naturalisation application ??
Thanks in advance

[Petaltop]

Hi dear forum members
Can I stop work and apply for housing benefits and child tax credit after receiving my PR. Does these benefits will effect my naturalisation application ??
Thanks in advance

Under present rules, it won't affect your application for citizenship.

However, stopping work to live on benefits won 't work as they will not pay you benefits straight away if you do that, so you will need savings to to pay your rent and council tax for a while.

The Tax Credit benefit works on last years income, with a disregard of 2.5k from this years expected earnings.

From this month, Tax Credits and Housing Benefit are two of the benefits being frozen for 4 years and you will be expected to pay any rent rises from your other benefits.

All benefits can now be reduced under the welfare reforms to keep to the UK's new annual cap for welfare spending, with only JSA, the jobseeking part of Universal Credit and State Pension being ringfenced from these cuts.

Be aware that the welfare reforms are designed to stop people doing what you want to do. Tax Credits and Housing benefit are two of the benefits being replaced by Universal Credit. For UC claims you will have to work or you will be sent on the work programmes, have to go to the job centre to show you are looking for work etc. Under UC, living on benefits you will have less money and will have to work for your welfare, show you are looking for work, will get sanctioned (have benefits stopped) if you don't comply with what you are told to do. Working will be better and you will have more money that way too.

[Kaalo1980]

Thanks for reply. I have twins girls 17 months old I was self employed until April 5 2016. Now I stopped work to look after babies my partner is working full time . My partner is non EU but he received PR last December.
Can you tell me if I apply benefits it's gonna effect British citizenship??
Thanks

[LilyLalilu]

No, it won't. Under the current rules you are entitled to claim benefits once you hold settled status.
However, rules are always subject to change so I cannot say with certainty that it will still be fine a few years down the line.

[Petaltop]

Thanks for reply. I have twins girls 17 months old I was self employed until April 5 2016. Now I stopped work to look after babies my partner is working full time . My partner is non EU but he received PR last December.
Can you tell me if I apply benefits it's gonna effect British citizenship??
Thanks

I've already answered your question.

Your partner's wages will be used in all your claim for income based benefits.

When you are moved onto Universal Credit, people with children between ages 12 months to 12 years are expected to work 20 hours a week at national minimum wage and their partner is expected to earn at least 35 hours a week at NMW. He can earn your 20 hours a week at NMW for you too (as well as his own requirement of 35 hours a week) so that you avoid the Universal Credit conditions of going to the job centre etc.

If you are self empolyed, then under UC your joint claim will be based on you earning 20 hours a week at national minimum wage (even if you don't) and the wages your partner earns each week.

[Kaalo1980]

He there thanks for reply
Just last question as I said I stopped self employment 5th April 2016 can I apply benefits now or how long shall I wait to apply?. My partner is working 52 hours every week we just need some top up money to pay rent we did not received any benefit last 5 to 6 years. This will be the first time we will claim.
Thanks

[Petaltop]

He there thanks for reply
Just last question as I said I stopped self employment 5th April 2016 can I apply benefits now or how long shall I wait to apply?. My partner is working 52 hours every week we just need some top up money to pay rent we did not received any benefit last 5 to 6 years. This will be the first time we will claim.
Thanks

Just apply and they will let you know what is and is not allowed. As it now turns out that you are self employed, have young children and a partner who is still working, they might not penalise you for stopping work when you have PR.