Benefits for Migrants Handbook (12th edition)

CPAG’s Benefits for Migrants Handbook has firmly established itself as the leading text on social security entitlement for people who have come to, or who are leaving, the UK.

This service includes the full text of the Benefits for Migrants Handbook, searchable and linked internally so you can skip to the next piece of relevant information with one mouse click. Subscriptions are one year in length, with the option of renewing for a further year. The book is updated on a rolling basis throughout the year - a vital service post-Brexit.

Following the end of the post-Brexit transition period on 31st December 2020, new rules take effect from 1st January 2021, which will significantly change the benefit entitlements of migrants. The publication of the 12th edition of this Handbook is timed to ensure advisers get the latest information on these changes.

The ending of European free movement rights within UK law affects the benefit entitlement of European nationals who began living in the UK before the end of 2020 and those who arrived after, and the family members of both groups. The Handbook covers the details of these changes, including how they operate alongside the EU Settlement Scheme, and the groups with protections that mean they can continue to use free movement rights to access benefits.

The end of the transition period also affects the benefit entitlements of claimants who move to live in Europe. The Handbook covers these changes together with other rules on when and for how long a claimant can continue to receive benefits while abroad. It also covers the rules for British citizens and others who return to the UK after living abroad.

Information to help you establish the immigration status of your clients is provided in addition to comprehensive details on the benefit entitlements that result from that status, including specific rules that apply to refugees and others granted leave following an asylum claim. For those with outstanding asylum claims, the Handbook provides detailed information on the asylum support system as well as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on claiming those rights.

The Handbook includes step-by-step guides and examples to make the information easier to use, tactics to help enforce your clients’ rights and chapters on dealing with practical problems, such as delays and providing evidence. It is fully indexed and cross-referenced to both UK and European legislation and caselaw. The Benefits for Migrants Handbook should be on the desk of everyone advising European and non-European nationals living in the UK, and claimants of all nationalities who have recently arrived in the UK or who are going abroad.