Homeless, pregnant and not 'British Citizen'

[valencia88]

Hello,

I have been here for 9 years, working most of the time, but apparently thet cant find evidence to support this so I can not apply for any help or income support but JSA Contribution for 6 months.

I have been kicked out of my flatshare, cause babies arent allowed, I'm due in 3 months - what rights do I have?

I have already been down this road of collecting a hundred millions different documents p45, p60s to show how much tax I have paid over the years, but to no avail.

I am NOT with the dad who is a British Citizen. I am staying in a woman's living room I met through church and I need to leave her and her house alone but cannot get a job as no one wants to employ a pregnant woman.

I have a swedish passport so I have the right to live here but nothing else. What happens when my daughter comes, will I still be homeless? The council is saying they cannot provide me with housing unless I have an "INCOME" and contribution ESA/JSA does not count.

I honestly have NO idea what to do.

@AnotherEmma exactly no one knows the situation and what protection this new 'settled status' will give.

To suggest all a EU citizen needs to do for extra protection is apply for recognised PR Status - given PR Cards will not be valid post Dec 2020 I just can't see adds any protection at all.

It's a long winded process to get a PR card (based on the OP travels and the fact they are now unemployed I think) they may not meet the residency criteria anyway

Takes 6 months from sending everything off - and most people I imagine it takes a fair few weeks of doing paperwork in evenings and arranging all their 'evidence' to have it all completed correctly.

It's a lot of work for additional security just until Dec 2020 if not planning on completing the process and achieving citizenship in my opinion (I'm not an expert just someone who has been involved the process myself).

The whole situation is a mess - such a mess - My heart goes out for those going through this as I know the tears and heartache involved in 'proving yourself'

I don’t believe this. You are sophisticated enough to have what you describe as good jobs and you have travelled the world but you seem to fall over when it comes to the basic administration of your life.

OP have a look to see if there is a branch of Christians Against Poverty near you. They may be able to advise on the benefits system and what you might be entitled to

@AnotherEmma the financial cost and time it takes to get PR is not something I am led to believe OP has. It's not cheap and it's not quick, and as others have said it's not a long term solution either due to its expiry in 2020.

OP I am so sorry that you are faced with this situation, it really isn't an easy one, and it's not fixable over night. I hope you end up in a situation where both you and baby are cared for.

From experience working with the likes of CAB and other charities that deal with benevolent funds and such, I do hope a solution is found for you.

@WhatWouldCoachBombayDo PR does only cost £65 but as you say it's not a short process (From time of application took us 6 months) and looks like has limited use at this current time unless planning on continuing to full Citizenship status (Which then ends up costing around £1800 with all others costs).

At current people from EU currently 'automatically' technically get PR status once they've met the criteria but the action of applying for the physical PR card formalises it in order to then further there application for Citizenship.

As I understand the PR card alone provide minimal to no benefit on its own especially beyond Dec 2020.

In this case the individual needs to seek official help and evaluate the consequences / opportunities available to them.

I think the OP has closed her mind to the fact that the safest option for her baby and herself is to return to Sweden and give birth there, where they will both have the security of being Swedish citizens.

And that the father is legally bound to pay to support his kid no matter what, Gin. The days of defaulting to the state as first port of call are coming to a rapid close in the UK.

The father will be responsible for supporting his DC but not OP. The state, ie the local council would look to place DC with family if at all possible rather than foster care so father, paternal grandparents and maybe aunts/uncles would all likely be consulted about caring for DC, foster care with strangers would be a last resort. Very often family comes forward if a DC is likely to be taken into care. OP needs to be aware that if other family members start caring for DC there is no guarantee that DC would be returned to her. Courts would look at what was in DC's best interest. This isn't to scare OP or be mean just for to be aware what the consequences of asking the state to intervene when she has no funds and no recourse to public funds.

I don’t believe this. You are sophisticated enough to have what you describe as good jobs and you have travelled the world but you seem to fall over when it comes to the basic administration of your life.

Such good jobs, yet has no money, savings or employment now.

Its a shitty situation for anyone to be in, and it is made shittier when you aren't a British citizen.

Theresa May's hostile environment is part of the problem here.

The Home Office do not accept payslips as proof of being in the UK
(as was the case for the Windrush lady who was a cleaner at the Home Office)
So the OP's online NI record will not be accepted as proof of being in the UK

I agree that she is not stateless
she needs to go to the Swedish Embassy in London and get that sorted

and having a child born in Britain confers NO protection on a parent.

The OP won’t lose her citizenship - I think most of you are misreading that. It means she’s not registered anywhere, and in many EU countries you need to belong to a “council” equivalent and have an active card/Id/number which registers you for all the services you’re entitled to as a citizen. When you don’t have that “ID” (and I’m using quotes because I’m not Swedish but I got the gist of OPs post) then it’s a bit of a bureaucratic nightmare as it’s basically as if you were a 16 year old rocking up for your first National ID card / NI number / first passport and probably have to produce all sorts of notarised documents.

That said, OP — someone upthread made a very very valid point. Do you realise if you put the father’s name on the birth certificate, he will have 50% say in EVERYTHING?!

Medical procedures, school choices, vaccinations... and most importantly if the baby is ONLY A UK CITIZEN - what happens after Brexit? What if you decide UK isn’t home after all? You can take your child out of U.K. unless the father agrees.

You would be tied to someone who doesn’t want a relationship with you for 18 years. What if he decides he wants to play happy family with his new girlfriend and his new baby if you’re still homeless 6-8 weeks from now?

Can’t take your child out of UK

Hopefully your local CAB can signpost you, many are facing drastic cuts, but as others have said, you need an immigration advisor, along with possibly help from Shelter or other housing advisors, your midwife, getting proof of your NI contributions and work, and possibly from the Swedish advice given. Your priority is getting good professional advice, getting the evidence you need, and getting stable housing.

I went through housing issues when I was pregnant with my first. Unless you can prove your right to it, the council won't want to know. They have no responsibility towards immigrants unless we can prove our right to it. It's harsh, but that's how it works. The responsibility to your child is entirely different - harsh reality is they can care for your child without you. I had to prove I had stable housing before I left the hospital with my newborn. It's scary but it's something quite a few immigrants have dealt with and professionals can help you with. Hopefully you can find what you need.

I think it's time to be strategic OP and think with your head, not your heart, about what is best short-term. In which country in the world could you have immediate cheap, or free shelter, access to healthcare and perhaps help with childcare? Any aunt/sibling/cousin anywhere in the world? Sweden would be best if you have someone there as you have a hope of sorting your documentation.
It doesn't have to be perfect or long-term. You won't always be in a position where you can't work and earn enough to support you both. But you need to act FAST because you won't be permitted to fly close to the birth.
Get yourself to shelter, have the baby and look for work that pays enough for childcare. If you want to come to the UK in a year or so to see friends and try to make a life here, then plan for that.
But you need to get through the next year and know you'll have more opportunities soon. Childcare and rent is obviously expensive in London, so going somewhere cheaper for the next year makes sense.

OP as you are in London have you spoken to Cambridge house welfare advice? It is a free service which has extensive legal knowledge and deals with immigration housing and benefits and will be able to offer advice to you.

@sonlypuppyfat

No need for that comment. OP considers the UK her home, she has been here for 9 years and has paid into our system but just can't 'prove' it.
OP I hope you managed to get to the CAB for advice.

sonlypuppyfat, that seems spectacularly uncaring and unhelpful, why bother commenting?

@user1457017537 yes because all Romanians do is sell big issue.

Where I live every big issue seller is a Romanian gypsy. I’m not saying every Romanian sells it. Selling the Big Issue makes you self-employed and you can then access housing benefit and tax credits etc.

One thing to bear in mind if you do consider going down the route of returning to Sweden, and you don’t have a relative’s you could go to temporarily, is how tricky it is to get a rental, or at least a first hand contract. Do you have any queue points with any housing queues maybe?

Hello everyone,

Such great advice you all have given me! I have been to my local CAB today and also managed to get an appointment with somewhere else tomorrow morning.

To everybody who thinks I’m here to claim benefits, I have never wanted to live in the UK for its “benefits”. The UK is an amazing country when it comes to its citizens, the atmosphere and the feeling I got from the first time I came here for a weekend when I was 14 years old. Your support system and other things are a total mess and if I wanted to “live off a state” I would be 100 better of doing so in my own mother country. Sweden is one of the wealthiest and generous countries in the world, so please, the remarks about me being here to live off of all of you hard working tax payers is just embarrassing as I don’t look at it like this is “the land of opportunity” more a place where I feel at home and want to continue living.

The father to my daughter isn’t a horrible individual, but a absolute let down of a partner - for me. I do not believe he would want his daughter to grow up without her mother. I would never allow this to happen.

“I would never allow this to happen.”
It could be out of your control, if you child is a british citizen and her father, who has equal parental rights to you, refuses you permission to take her out of the U.K.

I don’t mean to antagonise you OP, but I’m sure when you had unprotected sex with him, he also didn’t appear to be the type who would leave you in the situation you find yourself in.