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6 Jun 2008 : Column 1232W—continued
Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what benefits are not payable to UK citizens residing overseas; what the disqualifying period of residence is in each case; and if he will make a statement. [207213]
Mr. Timms: The following benefits are not payable to UK citizens who move permanently to reside overseas:
income support;
jobseeker's allowance;
pension credit;
housing benefit;
council tax benefit.
These benefits can, in certain circumstances, be paid for a limited period to people who are temporarily absent from the UK.
UK citizens cease to be entitled to these benefits from the day after their departure or, if already temporarily absent from the country, from the date their absence becomes permanent.
Disability living allowance, attendance allowance and carer's allowance are all residence-based benefits. In general, a customer is required to be ordinarily resident
and present in the UK, to have been present for at least 26 out of the previous 52 weeks and not be subject to immigration control. There are some exceptions under domestic law and, following the European Court of Justice judgment C299/05, payment can be made under EC law to customers living in another European economic area (EEA) member state or Switzerland in certain circumstances.
Maternity allowance and incapacity benefit are not payable to UK citizens who go to live in a country which is not part of the EEA or Switzerland, or in a country with which the UK does not have a bilateral social security agreement that provides for export of the benefit.
Social Security Benefits: Publications
Miss Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of his Department's claim packs mention services provided by Citizens' Advice Bureaux. [203717]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department currently has 54 claim forms available to members of the public. Of these forms 29 either mention the services of the Citizens Advice Bureau or are accompanied by additional information, such as notes to aid the completion of the form, that mention the services they provide. This means that 53 per cent. of our claim forms mention the Citizens Advice Bureau.
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