Coming from abroad and claiming benefits - the habitual residence test
If you are an EEA national who has come to the UK and you want to claim certain means-tested benefits, you may have to satisfy the conditions of a test, known as the habitual residence test. In some cases the test can also appy to British citizens coming back to the UK after time spent abroad. Find out here about the habitual residence test and whether you need to meet the condtions of the test.
If you’ve already applied for benefits and your claim was rejected because you didn’t satisfy the conditions, you can also find out what to do here.
British and Irish citizens
Whether or not a British or Irish citizen needs to satisfy the conditions of the Habitual Residence Test when returning to the UK from abroad.