| Who qualify for asylum? |
| How to apply for asylum. |
| Applying for support. |
| Your rights while waiting for decision. |
| Citizenship & Traveling |
| Settlement Rights and Services |
| Family reunion |
Settlement Right and Services
- Welfare benefits (money)
- Income support
- Income based job seekers allowance – JSA (IB)
- Housing benefit and council tax benefit
- Child benefit
- Social fund
- Disability benefit
- Working family tax credit
Welfare benefit is the name of the money given by the UK government to people with low or no income. People with refugee status (ILR, ELR) have the same rights to benefit as UK citizens.
.: Income Support.
Income support provides money for basic living expenses. The main groups of people that are entitle to this kind of support are:
- Elderly people; people looking after there children on there own (single parents/ lone parents)
- People looking after someone who cannot look after them selves (cares).
- Disable people because of health problems (incapable of work). If you incapable of work you will need a medical certificate from your doctor. Income support is claimed at the benefit agency.
.: Income based job seekers allowance (JSA).
People who are capable (fit) of work you cannot claim income support but you can claim JSA in the job centre where staff will discourse with you what kind of job you would like to do. Given three different types of jobs that you will like to take and you are actively looking for job. It also includes signing in every two weeks at the job centre.
.: Housing and council tax benefits.
If you are on income support or job seekers allowance, you are entitled to housing benefits to help with the cost of paying the rent and council tax benefits to cover the cost of council tax. You can make these claims from your local authority and not the benefit agencies. You are only entitled to these benefits if you have low income or on income support or income based job seekers allowance. If you are offered a job or training, it may affect your benefits. It is best to seek advice before starting a job or training. Any refugee agency or the Citizen Advice Bureau can help you with such advice..: Child benefit.
You can claim child benefit even if you are working as long as you are responsible for a child who is under 16 years or under 19 years and in school or college for more than 12 hours a week. Child benefit is claimed at the Benefit agency.
.: Social fund.
These are funds, which are given as loan or grant, which are not payable or interest free. You do not have right to this money except you apply for it. A body will look into your application and make their discretion as to whether you will be given this money or not. Some of this money is for people who have move into new homes and do not have money to buy furniture or when you are expecting a new baby. Social fund and Grants can be claimed at the benefit agency.
.: Disability benefits.
Persons with disabilities who are under 65 years old and have been in the UK for six months can claim disability allowance. But if you are over 65 years old and has been living in the UK over six months can claim attendance allowance. People who cannot work because they care for a disable or elderly person can claim invalid care allowance. All these benefit can be claimed at the Benefit agencies.
.: Benefit for working family.
Families with children who had got status to stay in the UK can take up employment and are entitle to working family tax credit if your are working less than 16 hours a week and have less than £8,000 savings. These credits can be claimed through your employer.