Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of what rights I would have if I and my two kids arrived in the UK and sought housing as homeless people? My dear wife does not have automatic entry as she is a foreign national. My two kids, however, are British citizens and passport holders, born in the UK though have lived in Thailand and China all their lives. Just planning ahead and thinking of worst case scenarios.  I should add that both kids are under ten years old and that I have not lived in the UK for about 10 years.

http://heathrowtravelcare.co.uk/what-we-do/returning-to-the-uk-from-abroad/

Why don't you get on some estate agent websites, and line up somewhere to rent once you get back?

Are you really planning to move your wife and kids back to the UK without a home to live in?  Will you have work?  Damn dude I think you need a much better plan.

A number of unhelpful posts removed, along with a couple of reasoned responses.

Go back with your children with enough money to rent a house for a couple months (cash). Then go to the benefits people. No job no income. This way you won't be on the streets.

Are you going to England or Scotland? I used to work with a homeless charity in Scotland and the rights are very different in Scotland. I can only advise on Scotland. Problem you may have is you have to have a local connection in the area that you apply for or have lived there for 3 months. A connection can be family in the local area or a job offer etc. You need to present yourself to the local housing authority and apply for a homeless assessment. While they are waiting to do the assessment the are obliged to house you and your children for up to 30 days while they make the assessment. If they agree that you meet the criteria then they will be legally obliged to house you. You will probably be in temporary accommodation for at least a year and will have to bid every week for suitable permanent accommodation.

 

The standard of accommodation you will get will be pretty grim though and I would only recommend this if it's a last resort.

 

Have a look at Shelter's website:

 

Scotland

 

England

Do a Google search for  'live-in jobs UK' or 'jobs that offer free accommodation UK' They won't pay much but they can get you started. Please be aware that if you make yourself homeless in England and Wales the local authority are not obliged to find accommodation for you.

3 hours ago, cabanlit said:

Why don't you get on some estate agent websites, and line up somewhere to rent once you get back?

Cheapest option is YHA then apply to the local council for emergency housing. The kids should get you a high priority on their housing list. However, don t expect very much help. I returned after 20 years away and was told that as I had not paid national insurance over the previous 6 months that I was not entitled to any help despite that I had always paid my taxes prior to leaving and served in the armed forces and never before asked for help. They were unmoved and I spent 6 months living in a caravan and paying National Insurance before they would give me anything. Not even unemployment benefit. Yet had I been a refugee I would have received masses of help. Britain does not really care for its own citizens.

1 hour ago, maprao said:

Go back with your children with enough money to rent a house for a couple months (cash). Then go to the benefits people. No job no income. This way you won't be on the streets.

If he has not paid National Insurance over the previous 6 months prior to reentry then he is not entitled to any Benefits

Thanks for the replies and pointers and thanks to Old Git for crowd control. I said this was just simply preparation for a worst case scenario and that has not materialised yet. But yeah Maprao I would be taking your approach which would be to re-establish myself on my own funds and most of all to establish a local connection. Ultimately I would wish to be self-financing without having to rely on the state. Yes Ally I would be heading to Scotland and I now understand the homelessness situation there is different, possibly better in fact. As I say I am simply thinking ahead and to a worst case scenario. So thanks for these pointers.

Go alone and get you affairs set up before bringing the family.

19 minutes ago, ResandePohm said:

If he has not paid National Insurance over the previous 6 months prior to reentry then he is not entitled to any Benefits

That simply isnt true.

Best option, one way ticket to Paris, train to Calais and hike a boat to Dover and claim asylum...seriously, the council offices offer emergency housing, could be anything from a hostel to a hotel. Get back in the system and job seekers allowance or the like is available until employed, not forgeting child benefit and once working tax credits.

4 minutes ago, baansgr said:

That simply isnt true.

It certainly was in my case and I have not heard or read that the rules have been changed

 

ResandePohm. Your service pension level probably excluded you from assistance. There are benefits linked to NI payments. There are some that are not. Now replaced by the universal system. The old names which still apply albeit under a different names are the old housing benefits, income support crisis loans etc

 

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On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 1:57 PM, gerryBScot said:

My dear wife does not have automatic entry as she is a foreign national.

Are you sure you want the kids to be separated from their mother for such a long period?  Or are you using the kids as leverage to be housed?

 

Genuine questions and not intended to rile you.  Just that it would add clarity as to your underlying motive(s) to separate mother from kids.

 

You'll also be aware that if money is tight then getting the kids mother here permanently is going to be an uphill struggle.  

50 minutes ago, ResandePohm said:

Cheapest option is YHA then apply to the local council for emergency housing. The kids should get you a high priority on their housing list. However, don t expect very much help. I returned after 20 years away and was told that as I had not paid national insurance over the previous 6 months that I was not entitled to any help despite that I had always paid my taxes prior to leaving and served in the armed forces and never before asked for help. They were unmoved and I spent 6 months living in a caravan and paying National Insurance before they would give me anything. Not even unemployment benefit. Yet had I been a refugee I would have received masses of help. Britain does not really care for its own citizens.

I think having kids would change the situation as they're legally obliged to find accommodation for the children & I don't think this would extend to taking them into care unless they were in danger (Which I'm in no way suggesting they would be).

 

If it were me in that situation I think I'd rather the kids stayed with their mom until I could get myself back on my feet & have somewhere lined up for them to stay (appreciate this is easy to say when you're not in that situation), though a guy on his own can expect no help for at least 3 months so it wouldn't be easy unless you have family/friends to help you.

 

2 minutes ago, fanjita said:

Are you sure you want the kids to be separated from their mother for such a long period?  Or are you using the kids as leverage to be housed?

 

Genuine questions and not intended to rile you.  Just that it would add clarity as to your underlying motive(s) to separate mother from kids.

 

You'll also be aware that if money is tight then getting the kids mother here permanently is going to be an uphill struggle.  

It's all going to be an uphill struggle in that worst case scenario but getting ready and being prepared will help. Being apart is not something we would want but these would be far from ideal circumstances.

2 minutes ago, gerryBScot said:

It's all going to be an uphill struggle in that worst case scenario but getting ready and being prepared will help. Being apart is not something we would want but these would be far from ideal circumstances.

Wouldn't it be easier all round to come back and set yourself up, then bring mother and kids over when you're settled and stable?  

 

Sorry, but something doesn't seem right with your plan in its current form and doesn't seem fair to me.  

28 minutes ago, fanjita said:

Genuine questions and not intended to rile you.  Just that it would add clarity as to your underlying motive(s) to separate mother from kids.

Being in the UK with dad will be better for the kids than living on a Thai farm with grandma.

Which is the reality of most of these cases.

 

Let's face it the number of times Thai single mom actually looks after her kids is very, very small. 

(Once foreigner dad has left the room)

https://www.cas.org.uk/

HTH

30 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Being in the UK with dad will be better for the kids than living on a Thai farm with grandma.

Which is the reality of most of these cases.

 

Let's face it the number of times Thai single mom actually looks after her kids is very, very small. 

(Once foreigner dad has left the room)

With all due respect, BritManToo, the question was directed at the OP.  Notwithstanding the OP states that they're presently residing in China, and not on a Thai farm.

 

My wife and I don't have kids, but I can't imagine a situation where I would want my wife to be separated from her children.  Not in a million years.

34 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Let's face it the number of times Thai single mom actually looks after her kids is very, very small. 

(Once foreigner dad has left the room)

And she's not a Thai single mum.  

My son got an (unpaid) research contract for 5 months abroad. On his return, he was denied JSA for 3 months because of being out of the country for 3 months, So no income, no money and only a home and food because his mum was in the UK at the time, Benefits are not easy to come by these days. If kids, more chance of something. If single, you could die on the streets as far as the government was concerned. I am just wondering how long before people commit crimes just to get arrested and a roof over their heads.

10 minutes ago, rickudon said:

Benefits are not easy to come by these days.

Benefits have never been easy for white adult males. They were always aimed firmly at women.

But sometimes, with a kid or two, they find it had to refuse a guy, even if they'd like to.

3 hours ago, baansgr said:

Best option, one way ticket to Paris, train to Calais and hike a boat to Dover and claim asylum...seriously, the council offices offer emergency housing, could be anything from a hostel to a hotel. Get back in the system and job seekers allowance or the like is available until employed, not forgeting child benefit and once working tax credits.

You are Joking: a UK Citicen seeks asylum in UK????????????

2018' people go to space as easy as they go to Tesco in Thailand' and yet this bro is still not knowing how to book a place for his family thru any online service such as airbnb or booking to make sure they are not becoming homeless without him....

A very simple old problem! But we can see it here and non sense long up

13 hours ago, ResandePohm said:

If he has not paid National Insurance over the previous 6 months prior to reentry then he is not entitled to any Benefits

 

What if you've never paid tax or NI, were not born in the UK and have never lived there, but you hold a full British passport as your parents (deceased) were both Brits? 


 

3 hours ago, seancbk said:

 

What if you've never paid tax or NI, were not born in the UK and have never lived there, but you hold a full British passport as your parents (deceased) were both Brits? 


 

Well, first they might interview you at immigration as they would suspect you are not British. Then, if you have little money, they might direct you to Citizens Advice Bureau, where they MIGHT tell you how to get started in the UK, plus where the nearest Food bank is and where to get cardboard boxes to make a bed for the night. Remember, as a single person no benefits for 3 months at least - need to find a job ASAP ( until you get a NI number, that could be a problem). Next, you will have a problem trying to rent anywhere as they would require proof of address ( you do not have one yet), references and at least a months rent in advance - you will be stuck in hostels for a while unless you have relatives who can help. 

 

Oh, and no bank account until you have proof of an address! I am sure there are many other Catch 22 situations which you will need to resolve, which may not be easy without help when you are unfamiliar with the way things work in the UK. Of course, a good deal of cash makes things easier.....