4 month gap

[namb38]

I moved to the UK in 2009 and worked there continuously until May 2016. Due to personal reasons I then relocated to another part of the country, but as a result I wasn't officially employed for about 4 months (although I did undertake some casual cash in hand type work during this period). I am now back in full time employment and hoping to obtain PR but I am worried about the 4 month gap particularly as I did not take out sickness insurance. Should I consider myself to have been a self-sufficient person, or looking for work? Will I be able to claim I was looking for work even though I did not register with the Jobcentre, but have plenty of evidence of making applications throughout that period?

[secret.simon]

What are your nationalities? When did you start working?

If you arrived in 2009 and started working immediately and had no break in employment between 2009 and 2014, you may have acquired PR automatically in 2014.

[namb38]

My nationality is one of the 2003 accession countries. I originally started working in 2009 and was continuously employed (apart from a less than a week here and there between jobs) until May 2016 when I resigned from my previous job and relocated. I was then job hunting for around 4 months (this period included 2 weeks holiday outside the country) until early October 2016 and have been employed continuously since. This excludes the aforementioned casual work between May and October.

Is it really as simple as proving I acquired PR before I resigned from my previous job? Will I still be eligible to apply for citizenship (I thought you needed to apply for PR before citizenship and couldn't retrospectively rely on automatic PR)?

[secret.simon]

My nationality is one of the 2003 accession countries.

Were you registered with WRS when you started working?

[namb38]

I was registered until the scheme was scrapped in 2011.

[secret.simon]

Then I think you are good to go. Apply for DCPR with proof of working from 2009 to 2014 & proof of WRS registration.

Your jobseeking in 2016 would be irrelevant.