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Hello there - I work for a small charitable organisation based in rural Cornwall advising young people on housing issues in particular as well as benefits. We do not often come in to contact with foreign nationals so I am seeking further advice as well as picking your collective brains.
The young person inquestion is 16 years old, he lives with his Dad a US citizen who has come to work in the UK and his Step-Mother who is a UK citizen (not sure of their marital status).
The step-mother is making life intollerable for the young man and he feels he is left with no option but to move out (he may even get chucked out) due to personal issues he cannot return to live with his mother in the US. He has been in the UK for 7 months, his Father for 3 years approx.
I can imagine he would get no help from the local council to house him although we would try but thankfully he has the offer of a room in a friends parents house as a lodger.
He is enrolled onto a full-time college course (relevant, non-advanced) and wants to keep up his studies and he is not working at the moment. He was until recently and is looking for more work (very actively), the last job brought in about £60 per week.
He was told that he could not get EMA until he has been resident in this country for 3 years - is this true?
If he is not working then would he be able to claim Income Support (estrangement probably wouldn't be an issue) Would he also need to be claiming income support to have a chance to get EMA?
If he is working or not he would need housing benefit - is he entitled in his own right?
If the above doesn't work then as a fall-back scenario could his friend's mother claim CB, CTC and WFTC for him?
The client gave his permission for me to seek further information on his case
Any help or pointers would be very beneficial - thankyou
Russell Pember
Information & Advice Worker
CHYP (Caradon Housing Youth Project)
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