Immigration Status and CTB

Client is currently iro IS as a single parent but her partner, who does not have recourse to public funds, may move in with her. We have advised that she would need to claim JSA instead if she has a partner, but that she will still only be entitled to the single Personal Allowance. I have previously advised clients in this situation (based on CPAG) that a claim for HB/CTB should be OK as client is getting a passporting benefit and was entitled to full HB/CTB before the partner moved in - therefore the award has not resulted in additional benefit. However, I have just noticed that the wording in CPAG has changed over the past few years. The new edition now suggests that losing the 25% single person discount for CT will result in more public funds being paid and that this could be considered as having had recourse to public funds. This does make sense to a certain extent but, at the same time, the client is still just getting full CTB. Further, how is this actually viewed in practice from an immigration perspective. CAn anyone help. I have not always found that signposting a client to an immigration adviser has lead to dependable advice where benefit issues are concerned.

Thanks, that is helpful - even if it just confirms that there is no easy answer here. I suspect that for many people the risk of the increased CTB affecting immigration status is outweighed by the need to pay rent and CT. I hadn’t thought about the under 35 single room rate issue, but it isn’t a concern in this case.