Single father homeless

[Brumbies]

Hoping someone can advise me.

Single father of 6 year old daughter, lives overseas. Now split from partner and has full custody. Father and daughter both hold British passports. Mother doesn't and accepts the situation.

He wants to come back to the UK with his girl as he has distant family here and was born and raised here. but doesn't have family he could stay with, he has no money either (another long story).

Can anyone advise what his options are? Apart from getting here in a dinghy from France! If he presents himself to council offices would they be obliged to house him and his girl?

Thanks anyone who can help.

[Mumof1andacat]

Why is the mother not fighter to keep her child with her or at least in the same country?

[Feverly]

Being homeless is an Adverse Childhood Experience, to be avoided at all costs, plus the trauma of being removed from her mother. Are both these things in the child’s best interests? Is he unemployed?

[Melonportal]

What are the options in the country he's in at the moment? Would it not be better for his daughter to stay there and maintain a good relationship with her mother, than to move to another country where there are only distant relatives and homelessness?

[Noalcohol]

They can travel to the UK with their passports. The council would be obliged to house his child. I advise he pick a council with less demanding housing issues. He would have to say the mother of the child is estranged.

[Ylvamoon]

Why is the father homeless?
And more importantly, what are the laws around custody in his country of residence? Would he be allowed to take the child to another country?

[RudsyFarmer]

If the father and daughter both have British passports they can enter the country surely? I assume your worry is housing once they get here?

[Brumbies]

It's complicated - the mother is happy for her daughter to be educated in UK she's from poor region Vietnam.

He is unemployed.

[Noalcohol]

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/homelessness/applying-for-homeless-help/check-if-you-can-apply-for-homeless-help/

[Brumbies]

@Noalcohol

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/homelessness/applying-for-homeless-help/check-if-you-can-apply-for-homeless-help/

Very useful, thank you

[DivorcingEU]

1. What does "mother accepts the situation" mean in reality? She agrees to him and her daughter moving to the U.K.? If so, he'll need that in writing to protect him from charges of child kidnapping.

1. Does the mother have no contact with the daughter? It's a hugely traumatic thing to be living apart from your mother, never mind abroad.

1. He has no money. I'm not sure if he's entitled to benefits upon arrival. I know that Brits who return from living abroad are technically not able to use the NHS for free for the first 6 months. Worth checking.

1. Can he work and save up a bit that could be used to provide him and his daughter some accommodation when they arrive?

1. When was the last time he was in the UK? If it's been a while (assuming so as no family close enough to help him out) then does he know just how much it's changed? He's not moving back to the place he left...

1. What is his reason for leaving his child's home? Is her future there so appalling? What is it in living in the UK that would be worth separating her from her mother, friends, and only place she's known? I've done international moves, so I'm asking this from a place of both understanding what's involved and understanding that it isn't always negative..but also can be extremely hard.

1. Does he think that his life will improve by moving to the UK? If so, how? Does he have better job opportunities, if so, in what sectors and will his work experience be viewed as relevant here, or will he be starting from the bottom of the ladder? He really needs to be thinking about this clearly, very clearly.

[Brumbies]

@DivorcingEU

1. What does "mother accepts the situation" mean in reality? She agrees to him and her daughter moving to the U.K.? If so, he'll need that in writing to protect him from charges of child kidnapping.

1. Does the mother have no contact with the daughter? It's a hugely traumatic thing to be living apart from your mother, never mind abroad.

1. He has no money. I'm not sure if he's entitled to benefits upon arrival. I know that Brits who return from living abroad are technically not able to use the NHS for free for the first 6 months. Worth checking.

1. Can he work and save up a bit that could be used to provide him and his daughter some accommodation when they arrive?

1. When was the last time he was in the UK? If it's been a while (assuming so as no family close enough to help him out) then does he know just how much it's changed? He's not moving back to the place he left...

1. What is his reason for leaving his child's home? Is her future there so appalling? What is it in living in the UK that would be worth separating her from her mother, friends, and only place she's known? I've done international moves, so I'm asking this from a place of both understanding what's involved and understanding that it isn't always negative..but also can be extremely hard.

1. Does he think that his life will improve by moving to the UK? If so, how? Does he have better job opportunities, if so, in what sectors and will his work experience be viewed as relevant here, or will he be starting from the bottom of the ladder? He really needs to be thinking about this clearly, very clearly.

Mother has written her consent as far as I know.

Mother has contact now they’re still overseas, but the culture is different to ours, often children are brought up by other family members so mother can work.

It's not an easy situation but the fact both father (and daughter eventually) need visa runs regularly is one factor behind the wish to relocate.

[CyberCritical]

How long has he lived outside the U.K?

If he hasn't been resident in the UK or paying NI in the U.K. then it's very possible he will have no access to any public funds in the event that he were to return here.

He needs to look at the information on the .gov website and he may be able to get advice from the British Embassy.

[Unexpectedlysinglemum]

Could Dad not go back to Uk and get a job and send money across to mum to educate her?

Could dad get a job there as a tefl teacher you don't need a degree for that and they're very in demand? That would enable him yo get a visa to stay there?

Coming to Uk and leaving her mother would be extremely traumatic

[Clymene]

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/getting-benefits-if-youve-recently-moved-to-the-UK/

He won't be entitled to any benefits so I'm not sure how he's expecting to support him and his child.

How has he been supporting himself up until now? How can he afford flights if he doesn't have money?

[CyberCritical]

Why?

He is a British citizen who made the decision to move to another country, start a relationship, have a child and has now found himself out of work and with no funds.

He isn't fleeing a war, persecution, torture, imprisonment.....

He hasn't paid into the British tax system. So why should British tax payers fund his choices? If you, his friends and family think he should be supported to return to the U.K. then support him, start a go fund me, find him a guest room or sofa in one of your houses and help him return, but you cannot compare his situation to that of Asylum Seekers or refugees.

[THisbackwithavengeance]

If he pitches up at a council they will help him as he has a child. Probably a B&B?

But presumably there is no reason why he cannot get a job and he will be expected to.

[THisbackwithavengeance]

"He isn't fleeing a war, persecution, torture, imprisonment....."

Neither have 99% of the migrants arriving on boats.

[DonnaHaywood]

As you're refusing to answer most questions and referring to people as 'illegals', this seems like a dog whistle post and not in good faith.

[SD1978]

So he's an ex pat you moved to Vietnam, thought it would be the ex oat high life and it isn't. Got together with a local girl, it's not worked and now broke and with a child wants to return, and you reckon that he should be welcomed with open arms and given everything because those pesky boat people do........your racism and ignorance is quite staggering. He emigrated and it didn't work out. Not sure why the UK is expected to roll out the red carpet for his return and taking his daughter away from everything she knows......

[CyberCritical]

@THisbackwithavengeance

"He isn't fleeing a war, persecution, torture, imprisonment....."

Neither have 99% of the migrants arriving on boats.

Except that approx 85% asylum seekers claims are approved on first applications so apparently at least 85% are fleeing something that would give them the right to claim asylum.

[Brumbies]

@THisbackwithavengeance

"He isn't fleeing a war, persecution, torture, imprisonment....."

Neither have 99% of the migrants arriving on boats.

Well said.

[Brumbies]

@DonnaHaywood

As you're refusing to answer most questions and referring to people as 'illegals', this seems like a dog whistle post and not in good faith.

You're wrong

[Brumbies]

@CyberCritical

How long has he lived outside the U.K?

If he hasn't been resident in the UK or paying NI in the U.K. then it's very possible he will have no access to any public funds in the event that he were to return here.

He needs to look at the information on the .gov website and he may be able to get advice from the British Embassy.

Not sure how long he's been outside, I've sent the links so hoping they'll prove useful to my sister.

[fettuccini]

This whole situation sounds dodgy as hell. Are you sure you're being told the correct story?