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Universal Credit eligibility by non UK citizen + housing benefit

Hello 

My name is Philip and i am 26...
I am creating this topic because i seek some information about my situation.
Basically i first came to UK in 2014 and have lived continously till 2017. My last job was in 2015.
In 2017 i started to go to Poland very often because i was quite bored in UK. So i have spent 7 months and from 2019 november till 1st of June this year.
So i have lost my accommodation in september and became homeless in Warwickshire area... I have slept in a tent for few months in the woods.
But after a while i have spoken with some english people and they advised me to contact council and report i am homeless, try to get emergency accommodation
So i have called them few days later and reported i am homeless and they said they have got accommodation for me in Birmingham. So i said i have no money for ticket, so they covered costs and i went there on my own next day.
Now it is supported accommodation with support worker. They said i need to be on Universal Credit to live here. When i have applied for it, they required me to look for jobs. But then later on i had to pass habitual test and i said i have spent 7 months in Poland where i just stayed with my family, like i have in England in the past, cuz my mum lived here.
But now i didn't pass habitual test because they said i am a jobseeker and that i haven't lived in UK continously for 5 years...
In 2012 in Poland i had terrible mental issues and i have been diagnosed with psychotic disorders. In 2014 i ended up in mental hospital where i have been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. I have also been suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts for very long time.
So my friend advised me that i should have told UC about my mental issues, that i am mentally unstable and unfit to work. So i have called them and asked for mandatory reconsideration saying i am suicidal (police has reports as well stating this) and depression.
They said my case will be actioned till day of my payment which was 17th of Dec. Of course i haven't received anything. They have created a new claim for me where they stated i am unfit to work because i have got schizophrenia, psychosis, depression and i am suicidal and mentally unstable.
Now today i have had first commitments conversation but i told work coach that last time i have failed habitual test and that i am probably not eligible for universal credit... And i don't know what's going on now, because i might either lose my supported accommodation even though housing benefit covers costs i think. But i heard that without being eligible to UC i won't be able to live here so i might just go live back on the streets again... And i don't know if they will close my claim again...
They want me to get a job but every job i had was getting me into massive depression and suicidal thoughts... It was just getting me feel worse so i never worked for more than a month...
I am also extremely mentally unstable, in the morning i want to kill myself but later i feel great... I have got moodswings as well...
I don't know what's gonna be happening, i just would about writing about my situation here because i been suffering mentally for years and been refused to get UC and i think that i will be refused again... Because i have spent so much time in Poland this year :-(
And it just doesn't make things any better for me...
Do you think i have got any chances for UC or i am only wasting my time and i will have to go live on the streets again.
tommorow i am about to call a GP and warwickshire council and ask them what's going on but it's unbelievable how crap those UC people make me feel... And i have made my commitments, i applied for jobs and then i realised i wasted my time because i didnt pass some habitual residence test, but i'd like to live in this country and get permanent residence in 5 years, but now i am thinking about going back to Poland or i'll be forced to go back to place where i have lived before for years and sleep in tent again...
My question is do you know any other information that would actually make me feel better mentally, because at the moment i feel like a piece of junk, because i am not eligible for any support in this country... And i feel like some 2ndary citizen at the moment and i only have got pre-settled status.
I am worried all the time and nothing helps me...
Cheers
Replies
But now things have been different maybe because of covid and lockdowns...
I also have play in music band cuz i am drummer.
I lived with my mum so she was covering all costs of living.
In Poland i have lived by myself as well in a flat whereas in UK i had to share house with strangers... So this is why i have stayed in Poland for so long... But it has nothing to do with me fancy living in Poland cuz i have always liked England much more
I dont know maybe i should not bother and emigrate to different country like Sweden or something.
Will getting any advice from those people help me claim universal credit i don't think so
I just feel very disappointed and down that i been refusing everything and i am worried that i'll have to move out from supported accommodation because i am not eligible for UC
If i have lied that i have lived in UK would it get me different result. If i didn't say i spend 7 months in Poland... If i lied...
But i always say truth and now i have to suffer
I have also been volunteering in one charity shop because store manager was my best friend at the time.
but id love to get some education thats my aim because i am uneducated... I wanted to go to college... But now i know nothing
Is it also truth that i am not eligible to live in supported accommodation because of this?
Just wanted to express my sympathies for what you have had to go through and how you are feeling at the moment, it sounds so hard to deal with.
I have sent you an email to the address registered with your account, it would be great if you could check it and respond to us.
In case this is of any use, here is an article about two people who were in a similar situation to yourself, which might give you some encouragement in your fight to receive UC.
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Yes it is all very confusing, but I'm sure everything will be okay for you. And the community will provide as much support as possible. I hope you've found the above advice from Poppy helpful.
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Want to tell us about your experience on the community? Talk to our chatbot and let us know.
I hope you're doing okay and again I'm sorry to hear about the situation you're in, believe me we all want what's best for you.
Calling Citizens Advice today sounds like a good idea, I hope that goes well.
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I'm sure it's not you who creates the negative situations, try not to be too harsh on yourself. Please remember to use the resources we sent you in the email if you feel as though you are struggling with your mental health.
I'm sorry to hear that you didn't get anywhere with CAB, but I'm glad that you seem to have been pointed toward the right place with the district council. Hopefully the call back tomorrow goes well.
Whether you mention your mental health tomorrow is completely up to you. It might be worth mentioning as they could signpost you to any relevant support.
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I found this online. Seems useful! I just googled for it tho.
http://www.eurights.uk/what-you-need-to-know
I don't live in Birmingham, so I can't promise that these will help (I googled them), but give them a try?
https://barms.org.uk/
https://settled.org.uk/en/
https://www.migranthelpuk.org/Pages/Category/euss
https://rmcentre.org.uk/contact/
https://birminghammind.org/
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everything's good... Few days ago cleaners came up here and they said there is nothing to do and the best house!! It's the cleanest house!!! haha
I was supposed to go to Poland/Sweden this week, but obviously because of lockdown i have had to stay...
It's a shame cuz some people wanted me to get out of UK and bought me plane tickets to Pol/Swe, so i didnt go to assessment in college and on friday i have spoke to my GP and said i am going to Sweden...
I have been brainwashed and my head is still full of crap...
But at least i am still staying in UK, and my roomates didn't let me leave this country and support worker said i can't go anywhere and leave this country cuz of lockdown...
But well at least i am sure that they wont kick me out from here... Especially because i am not a **** lor vandal...
I'm sorry you weren't able to travel abroad, but it's necessary at the moment unfortunately. Do you get along well with your roommates?
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yes of course we get along
Great! That's lucky.
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i am doing fine so far but still having trouble with having some pounds to buy new toothpaste soon huh...
but i think somebody will send me some cash from poland next week so things should be ok
And at least i know now that i can stay in this house and nobody will kick me out.
Few weeks ago i have met polish woman who lives in Sweden and she's got her own house and swedish citizenship... And she wanted me to come to her... She even bought me a ticket to get to Sweden!!!! First Amsterdam then Goteburg!!!
But i can't imagine amount of stress i'd have go through because of covid and lockdowns... I even did this covid test PCR with travel certificate and then one day later lockdown!!!!
So you know **** i can't go i wasted my money for this test...
also they wantedme to go back to Poland and then sweden but its all brainwash!!!!
Living in UK is not that bad!!!! But people act like Poland or Sweden is the best!!!! England sucks!!!! **** no you suck not England!!!!
Thank you for your kind words about England and I'm sorry to hear the lockdown stopped you from travelling to Poland. Let's keep our fingers crossed for the vaccine roll-out going smoothly and then who knows what the future holds for you!
Take care and please let us know if ever you need any help
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Or maybe I'm talking unhelpful nonsense...
The claim that covid vaccines will change a person's DNA is scientifically incorrect. You can read this BBC article that explains why the rumour is untrue, and more about how vaccines safely work.
Glad to hear you want to stay in England too
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