child benefit

[gundogman01]

if a uk resident has a child in the uk and then moves abroad to live to a non european country.can you continue to claim child benefit

[baileybird]

fairly sure the answer to this is no

i have a feeling you have to be resident in uk but check out child benefits website

[Psychick]

No, child benefit is one for UK residents.

[Petal~flower]

why should you be able to claim child benefit when you are not living in this country?

[New Judge]

I know the answers given are correct.. However, we should also ask why it is acceptable for UK residents to claim child benefit for children living abroad.

[Louisa 69]

http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi ?ArtNum=200797

I read an article similar to this in the sun a few weeks back about mothers living in Poland recieving child benefit.

[Ethel]

If you move to an EU country you can get child benefit, and Winter Fuel Allowance if you are in receipt of state pension.

[ojread2]

I read about this Polish couple too.

Apparently the husband works in the UK and the mum and child live in Poland - he claims CB and is about to receive CTC and WTC as well. The child goes to private school!

This, IMO, is completely wrong. If you claim for a child then that child should have to live with the claimant. It seems ridiculous too me that this can happen

[plowter]

The claimant has to be resident in the UK.

An EEA national who qualifies as resident in the UK can claim child benefit for a child abroad because the residence test is not applied to the child.

Freedom of movement and access to welfare benefits applies to Britons abroad. If a Briton moves to Poland they can apply for the appropriate benefits in that country. The benefits are, of course, less generous abroad.

Interestingly, child benefit is not means-tested in the UK whereas it is dependent on income in Poland.

[THECORBYLOON]

The UK has what are called Reciprocal Agreements wi several non-EU countries and if you have a look at the leaflet here, http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/ch5_notes. pdf it explains the effects on Child Benefit.

[New Judge]

I know all of the above is true. One of the "great advantages" of membership of the EU is this type of reciprocal agreement.

However, in view of the wide disparity between level of benefits payable in the two countries, it has to be asked what is in it for the hard-pressed British taxpayer. After all, he's hardly likley to up sticks and live in a one-bedroomed flat in Warsaw just to claim his means tested 10 Zlotys a week is he?

A fundamental problem with these "great advantages" is that whilst, on paper they are reciprocal, in practice, because of the disparity in the economies, they are effectively unilateral.

[johnny37]

Re the Polish man claiming child benefits for his children living in Poland. What happened to the rule that the child has to reside with the person (in this case the father) who is claiming benefit? In the Polish scenario it is a whacking �12 million per year. I know separated mothers can claim benefit but I believe that is normally when they live in the UK. As for the perceived benefit to the UK economy, without judging I also read that after all costs (benefits, housing, health, schooling) the net benefit to the UK is �1 per immigrant (not sure whether that is per week or per year!

[New Judge]

And, johhny, I think those calculations neglect to account for the amount of cash that is sent "home", and is thus of no benefit to the UK economy whatsoever.

[johnny37]

Ive just looked at the Migration Watch website. The correct figure is a just a few pence per week and could even be negative. I think this must include everything, including money sent home (to families not already here).