Meeting new maintenance requirement

666zips · Post by **666zips** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:20 pm

Hi. I was planning on applying for a fiance visa this fall, but just found out about the new maintenance requirements. My fiance makes 15000 a year but as he is a single parent, he also receives child tax credits and working tax credits which put him well over the 18,600 limit. Will this count? I also have some savings and he does as well that we were going to include. Anyone with any advice, I would greatly apppreciate it.

Post by **Greenie** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:25 pm

do you mean £15,000 a year (not $15,000)

No, income from tax credits cannot be included (ref para 167 of SOI

Only savings above £16,000 can be counted (para 170).

666zips · Post by **666zips** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:38 pm

Yes, I did mean 15,000 pound. (american laptop, no pound sign!) I read the information you provided and looks like pensions and bereavement benefits can be included as income. If that is the case, we are ok. Do you have any advice on that? Thanks for the quick response.

Post by **Greenie** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 4:20 pm

Are either of you actually in receipt of the pension (i.e. not just a pension fund upon which you cannot yet draw)? Who is receiving the bereavement benefit?

666zips · Post by **666zips** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:07 pm

My UK fiance has been receiving it since 2009.

Post by **Greenie** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:09 pm

666zips wrote:My UK fiance has been receiving it since 2009.

recieving what - the pension or bereavement benefit? If so how much?

666zips · Post by **666zips** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 2:15 am

He has been receiving bereavement benefit since 2009. It is an amount adequate to put with his annual salary and put us well over the 18,600. Everything I've read online says that as long as he has received it for the 12 months prior to the point of application and is receiving it at the point of application it should be included. It's taxable, so I would think it should be allowed.

Post by **Greenie** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:34 am

666zips wrote:He has been receiving bereavement benefit since 2009. It is an amount adequate to put with his annual salary and put us well over the 18,600. Everything I've read online says that as long as he has received it for the 12 months prior to the point of application and is receiving it at the point of application it should be included. It's taxable, so I would think it should be allowed.

what is the name of the bereavement benefit? If it's Widowed Parents Allowance then he can't continue to claim this if he remarries or starts living with a new partner.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/moneytaxand ... g_10018848

666zips · Post by **666zips** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 2:03 pm

I know the bereavement benefit will stop when we marry, but the statement of intent on the UKBA websites specifically lists Widowed parents allowance as acceptable income on page 42. Paragraph 137 sites 'any bereavement benefits received in teh UK'. Paragraph 82 also says 'any maternity allowance and bereavement benefit received in the UK by the sponsor'. Paragraph 83g says 'We will take into account the sponsor's income, any pensions and any maternity allowance and bereavement benefits they receive in the UK.' In the appendix it says he has to be in receipt of these at the point of application. When it comes on his bank statement, it says bereavement benefit. He has to claim it on his taxes as income and it's not from public funds. It is confusing but I read the entire statement of intent and not once does it say it can't be used. I hope I'm right, because I don't want to save up 25,000 pound.

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Meeting new maintenance requirement

Meeting new maintenance requirement