Advice Please

[stevebow]

My wife has a friend who is in need of some help.

She currently has 4 months left on her flr visa and has Two children with her her husband, however recently there marriage has started to fall apart as her husband has become increasingly violent to her. She is now living with a friend after he grabbed her by the throat and threw her down the stairs of there home. The police have been informed and charges have been brought against the husband. Her husband is now letting his wife and two children share a Two bedroom home in the slums with friends. All he does to support them is provide baby milk and nappies and basically she is being left to fend for herself. He is still claiming child tax credit and child benefit for the children but isn't handing any of the money over to support the children. I have advised her to speak to citizenship advise but with her English not being great she isn't to confident.

What are her options??

Thanks in advance

Steve

[Thongkorn]

Get in touch with the Thai Embassy first, You do not say where you live , Here is the Thai Embassy number its Hull 01482 581668. Or you can go to solicitor ,they would rub there hands with this one , also she can apply for leave to remain in the Country because of her estranged husbands violence to her , Is there no Thai community near you try them , they may help her to speak .and give her confidence

[7by7]

As the victim of domestic violence she can apply for indefinite leave to remain now.

See Victims of domestic violence

[ThaiVisaExpress]

She maybe entitled to ILR as a victim of domestic violence do a search on the forum.

Sounds to me if what you say is correct she has a strong case.

[stevebow]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Looks like she will be able to apply for Ilr but the problem is she has no money to do so. Her husband only pays for nappies and baby milk. The only way she is surviving at the moment is off the generosity of friends. Will she be entitled to legal aid if she goes to a solicitor? Can she claim child tax credit/child benefit?

Thanks again

Steve

[Thongkorn]

I think she will get some support from the solicitor , go and ask you can have 30 mins free.

[Mercury]

If the story is as claimed then ok, but it is one sided at the moment.

She can get free legal help as well as housing and benefits, if the story is true.

But if not true and she just doesn't want to be with him, then it is not the same.

Only 4 months left to learn a test to pass 18 from 24 questions ? What happened there ?

Sad to say but in every community there are those who know how to milk the system and any threat of domestic violence is the first and most powerful argument to use and there will surely be those who use this when it is not true.

If she is right, then the benefit package is substantial. All her rent and council tax paid and child benefit, income support and child tax credits will bring in about another £140 a week. If you add on the rent (which could be up to £400 in London) and then tax that up and add on the costs of going to work, you quickly realise that there is no way an poorly educated Thai woman is going to earn £20,000 to £40,000 plus, to come out just the same. Many have lied and done far worse for far less.