ILR and Benefits?

[queenie]

Hi guys! I am here again. I am in UK now for more than 2 months and I am on 27months spouse visa. I would like to ask if I will just wait for 2 years before I can apply my Indefinite leave to remain in UK or I can apply that before 2 years? If I passed my Life in the UK test, am I entitled to get benefits from the government like British citizen does? or I have to wait be a british citizen first? Don't get me wrong regarding the benefits, I just wanna know to all the answers of my questions thanks...

[Arthur Little]

Hi, Queenie ... the earliest you can apply for ILR, is 28 days before the date of the second anniversary of your arrival in the UK. So ... if you came here on March 8, for example, you'd be eligible to apply on 8 February.

As to your other question: to say, you would NOT be entitled to claim benefits until you were granted British Citizenship.

[joebloggs]

you can claim benefits your entitled to claim when you have ILR.

[Arthur Little]

you can claim benefits your entitled to claim when you have ILR.

... WHAT benefits are THOSE, Joe? ... maybe MY wife is missing out?

[rusty]

... WHAT benefits are THOSE, Joe? ... maybe MY wife is missing out?

Any benefits, if you notice on the residence permit, it does not have the words "no recourse to public funds" like on the initial visa, therefore, once a resident they are entitled to benefits.

[rusty]

am I entitled to get benefits from the government like British citizen does? or I have to wait be a british citizen first?

There are some benefits that can be claimed before you have ILR, but will need to be claimed in your partners name, such as, child benefit and child tax credits, if you have children.

[Terpe]

Arthur & Queenie,
It's true.
When you have been granted ILR you have full entitlement to ALL benefits in your own name.

[queenie]

thank you guys, at least now i know about this thing

[Terpe]

thank you guys, at least now i know about this thing

But you must first have been granted ILR.

[Arthur Little]

Any benefits, if you notice on the residence permit, it does not have the words "no recourse to public funds" like on the initial visa, therefore, once a resident they are entitled to benefits.

Arthur & Queenie,
It's true.
When you have been granted ILR you have full entitlement to ALL benefits in your own name.

... well ... I'll be blowed! You guys are both RIGHT it seems ... there IS no mention about there being "No Recourse to Public Funds" on Myrna's passport. I could've sworn I'd read somewhere on the UKBA website that it wasn't possible to claim benefits prior to naturalisation ... ... obviously I'm mistaken.

[Arthur Little]

Terpe ... in view of what you've just told me, would YOU happen to know if someone who has ILR is likely to be eligible to receive an Educational Grant? Or would he/she NEED to [also] have British Citizenship?

I'm thinking along the lines of Myrna - who's a BSc graduate from the University of the S.E. Philippines - being married to ME, a State Pensioner.

[Terpe]

Terpe ... in view of what you've just told me, would YOU happen to know if someone who has ILR is likely to be eligible to receive an Educational Grant? Or would he/she NEED to [also] have British Citizenship?

I'm thinking along the lines of Myrna - who's a BSc graduate from the University of the S.E. Philippines - being married to ME, a State Pensioner.

Arthur, the answer is a simple yes. As long as she would meet the requirements.
I hope she will be able to act upon that.

[Arthur Little]

Arthur, the answer is a simple yes. As long as she would meet the requirements.
I hope she will be able to act upon that.

That's encouraging! Perth College is just down the road from where we live. It'd be great if Myrna could get onto a course of her liking; she HAD taught Agricultural subjects - specialising in plant propogation - at a Provincial High School in Davao del Norte for 22 years ... but apparently her degree is only regarded as being on a par with HNC/HND in Scotland, so she can't teach here, unfortunately. Mind you, it's not that she's particularly fussy about returning to teaching ... but her qualifications might count towards another graduate course - say, in Business Administration or such like.

, Terpe.

[jane2009]

Hi!
I have an ILR at the moment, Is that mean I'am qualified for education loan if i want to go to college?

[rusty]

Terpe ... in view of what you've just told me, would YOU happen to know if someone who has ILR is likely to be eligible to receive an Educational Grant? Or would he/she NEED to [also] have British Citizenship?

I'm thinking along the lines of Myrna - who's a BSc graduate from the University of the S.E. Philippines - being married to ME, a State Pensioner.

According to this link from the directgov website. http://www.family-action.org.uk/section.aspx?id=1037

"Grants are available to those who are British nationals by birth (this means those who at birth had British Citizenship) OR asylum seekers, refugees and those with leave to remain studying ESOL or ILETS courses."