I have a client who is planning to live in France and I am having difficulties finding useful information on their system ie what is their habitual residence test etc.

Any help appreciated

Jon, there are two sites which might help. Both are in French.
www.assedic.fr deals with unemployment benefits/rights.
www.service-public.fr has info on all sorts of stuff to do with public services, including benefits for disabled people and families.
Or the French embassay in South Kensington (sorry I don't have the web address to hand).
Bonne chance!
Carol O'Byrne

It also matters why and how your client is moving to France.

For example, pensioners are allowed to go and live in other EU member states but must not incurr any cost to the host state (different rules because they are not economically active I think).

If they are working age, then they have to engage Treaty rights in order to demand that they be treated like French nationals; I understand this can be done if you look for work. Not so sure how it would work if you were incapacitated / not working for any other reason.

Certain rights are engaged by you being in receipt of services too (instead of from being economically active), but those arguments confuse me a little.

There's the competent state issue.

Some benefits are exportable from here.

The whole thing is quite complicated!

Also, as I undertand it, France does insist on people having residence documents - carte sejours and carte blue's though not sure if either of these relate to ability to work or claim benefits. There may be other cards I am not aware of.

Not sure if it was correct or not, but when a friend of mine was unemployed in France she got food parcels for a few weeks and that was that!