Financial assistance when waiting for a universal credit tribunal hearing?

[QOFE]

Single parent, 2 DC, 1 of whom gets DLA.

Claimed tax credits until recently when loss of part time job meant she had to claim UC.

UC refused due to issue over her residency status (EU national but lived and worked in the UK for over 20 years). Has never lived in the country she is technically a national of (born abroad in a non EU country to parents who were nationals of the EU country that she holds a passport for then moved from there to the UK as a young teenager).

Now awaiting tribunal, which could take up to another 6 months to be heard.

Unable to pay rent etc. Living off the DLA paid for one of the DC and Carers Allowance but this barely covers food never mind bills/rent/travel etc.

Applied to various charities and one agreed to pay one month's rent for her but drawn a blank since then. Can't get legal aid for the case so is attempting to self represent.

Where else can she turn for financial assistance?

You could try contacting the no recourse to public funds network for EEA nationals)link below.

www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/information/Pages/eea-nationals.aspx

They could also contact social services who can offer financial assistance /housing if necessary under s17 of the children act.

Really crap situation for them. If they are going to become homelesss they should still be entitled to legal aid as this is in scope and a caseworker should be able to help with the access to benefits to prevent homelessness.

You could try contacting civil legal advice who provide some legal aid on 0345 345 4345. They may be entitled to legal aid -it could be that the provider already contacted didn't have capacity to take on the case or believed there was no merit.

This charity can provide small grants for rent but will need a frontline caseworker to apply on their behalf.

www.smitfc.org/our-grants/

Has she had proper advice from anywhere?

In terms of help - she may get some help with housing costs from the local authority, food banks. Maybe a bit of help from small charities if she meets their criteria but that is usually for specific items not on going living costs. If she goes to citizens advice they will be able to help.

Thank you, I will pass both links on :)

It's a really terrible situation

Citizens Advice said it's too complex a situation for them but referred her to a solicitor who gave her a 1 hour free appointment to help prepare the tribunal case.

She's pretty much exhausted every avenue she can find. Local food bank has done her 3 food parcels but can't provide ongoing help after that. Local charities have given a couple of one off payments. But it's a drop in the ocean.

I work for Citizens Advice and cannot believe they have said it’s too complex and can’t help, even if there isn’t a caseworker in the office there are avenues of support for non specialists to access. Without seeing the case and bundle (evidence/docs from DWP) I can’t give specific help on the tribunal, but your friend should urgently see if they qualify for settled status and apply:

www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

As soon as she receives confirmation of settled status (if done on the app and info can be pulled from her national insurance record you can get a decision same or next day) she should make a new UC claim whilst waiting for the hearing and this claim should be successful.

The idea is that settled status gives a claimant the same access to benefits as a British citizen so she shouldn’t have to pass a residency test. If you get a switched on decision maker they may backdate to the original claim date and the appeal will lapse. However some job centre staff and decision makers not up to date in their own regulations so will need this approach spelling out to them.

I'll pass that on to her, thank you. The thing is she has claimed tax credits etc for years and it's never been called into question. But apparently she doesn't pass the residency conditions for UC as she didn't earn enough in the last 12 months? MR was turned down and now it's going to a tribunal.

Bumping in the hope anyone has any further suggestions I can pass on... She's applied for settled status but not heard back yet.