UK Benefit System

Public Funds - Access to the UK benefits System

If you are in the UK on a temporary visa in most cases you cannot claim public funds. Generally, the only people who can claim public funds are British citizens, those with permanent residence, refugees and their dependents, and those with exceptional leave to remain. There are very few other circumstances, if eligible, in which you can claim public funds.

If you are not in any of the above visa categories you must be able to support and accommodate yourself without claiming the following benefits that come under public funds:

• Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Housing and homelessness assistance
• Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
• Working Families' Tax Credit
• A social fund payment
• Child Benefit
• Any disability allowance

It is usually the case that most people with some sort of long term temporary status in the UK will be eligible to State funded medical treatment and education, and local benefits.