Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what checks his Department carries out to ascertain the (a) immigration status and (b) nationality of benefits claimants.

Priti Patel

Access to means-tested benefits is conditional upon satisfying the Habitual Residence Test (HRT) where claimants must provide proof of their nationality and immigration status; their employment (where appropriate) and habitual residence in the UK.

Generally, access to disability benefits is conditional upon satisfying the Past Presence Test (PPT) where claimants must provide proof of their nationality and immigration status; their habitual residence in the UK; and presence in the UK for 2 years out of the last 3 years.

Access to contributions-based benefits is not dependent on a residency test, but the claimant must be present in the UK and they must have made the required number of national insurance contributions.