Source: http://england.shelter.org.uk/legal/homelessness_applications/eligibility_eeaeu_nationals/persons_eligible_for_assistance/family_of_workers_and_self-employed
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 04:36:09+00:00

Document:
An overview of the right to reside and eligibility for housing assistance of family members of workers and self-employed people.
Workers and self-employed people (including those who are retired or incapacitated - see the page Retired or incapacitated workers) living in an European Economic Area (EEA) country have a right to have their family members, and in certain cases 'extended family members', reside with them in the UK. This is regardless of the nationality of the family member.
an extended family member who has been issued with a EEA family permit, registration certificate or residence card, and continues to meet the conditions for that documentation.
Adoptive children are classed as ‘direct descendants’, as long as the adoption arrangements are recognised as valid in the UK. In one case, the Court of Justice of the European Union held that a child who was placed in the EEA national’s care under a kafala agreement, which under Islamic law is akin to guardianship but does not give rise to a parent-child relationship, would not qualify as a ‘direct descendant’ but as an extended ('other') family member (see 'Extended family members' below).
Brothers and sisters do not qualify as family members. In one case it was held that legal guardianship did not create a parental relationship between them even when one of them was granted legal guardianship of the other after the death of their parents.
The family member's entitlement to homelessness assistance/ allocation of social housing will mirror that of the worker or self-employed person. See Overview of the eligibility rules for which rights to reside confer eligibility.
a relative of the EEA national with a serious health problem needing care from the EEA national.
'Relative of the EEA national' includes relatives of her/his spouse or civil partner living in the UK and in possession of a registration certificate, residence card or EEA family permit confirming their right to reside as an extended family member.
Unlike family members, extended family members’ eligibility for homelessness assistance/allocation of social housing is conditional on obtaining a residence card/registration certificate/EEA family permit from the relevant authorities (Home Office in the UK). Since issuing this documentation is discretionary, a person in one of the three categories above can apply to be treated as an extended family member but there is no guarantee her/his application will be granted.
In the exercise of that discretion, matters relating to how and when an extended family member arrives in the host country (ie legally or illegally, before or after the EEA national sponsor) are relevant and can be taken into consideration.
When applying for a residence card, there is no requirement for an extended family member of an EEA national sponsor to have arrived in the UK after, or simultaneously with, the EEA national.
Where an extended family member has been validly issued with an EEA family permit by the entry clearance officer in her/his country of origin, s/he must be treated as a family member, and the issue of a residence card confirming her/his right to reside becomes compulsory.
See Right to reside for more information on residence documents.
A family member is 'dependent' if they need the material support of the EEA worker/self-employed in order to meet her/his essential needs. Material support can refer to the provision of goods as well as cash. However, irregular financial support and provision of rent free accommodation will not in itself constitute dependence unless the family member needs this to meet her/his essential needs.
Emotional bonds, for example between a mother and child, will not make a person dependent in EU law. Neither will 'linguistic support', assisting an applicant in dealing with translation, medical appointments and forms.
Dependence or household membership can only relate to the EEA national, not dependence on or family membership of a spouse or civil partner of the EEA national.
There is no requirement that the family member has been dependent on (or living with) the EEA national in her/his country of origin or that s/he has sought work or is likely to find work in the UK (except for some extended family members).
Non-EEA family members of British citizens cannot normally acquire a right to reside in the UK under EU rules – most of them have to rely on the domestic immigration law to obtain leave to enter or remain in the UK.
However, in certain circumstances a British citizen may be treated as if s/he was an EEA national exercising EU free movement rights in the UK. If this is the case, her/his family members will have a right to reside in the UK under EU law - this is commonly referred to as the Surinder Singh route. The Surinder Singh route is available to both close and extended family members of British nationals.
In order for a family member of a returning British citizens to qualify for a right to reside under the Surinder Singh route, the following conditions must be met.
acquired a permanent right to reside in another EEA state.
The Upper Tribunal has stated that in order to qualify, the British national must have been exercising treaty rights in the other EEA state under European law and that her/his residence must therefore have been at a time that the UK was a member of the EEA (from 1 January 1973).
genuine family life was created of strengthened during their joint residence in the other EEA State.
On return to the UK, the British citizen must engage in an activity that makes them a qualified person within the meaning of EU law, for example become economically active or self-sufficient. A ‘grace period’ of up to three months is allowed (see below).
to qualify as a jobseeker, the British citizen must show that s/he is seeking employment and has a genuine chance of securing it. S/he does not need to show that they entered the UK to find work and there is no time limit on their jobseeking.
Where the family member was issued with EEA residence documentation in the UK before 25 November 2016, this must be accepted as proof that the British citizen was a qualifying person in the UK in accordance with the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 up to and including 26 November 2016.
whether the family member’s first lawful residence in the EU with the British citizen was in that EEA state.
The Home Office guidance states that a family member should not be refused a residence card solely because the purpose of setting up a residence in another member state was to avoid UK immigration rules, provided that the residence was genuine.
weekend visits and holidays do not count as residence for this purpose.
Where a family member of a British citizen wishes to enter the UK under the Surinder Singh route, the family member should apply for a residence permit to enter and remain in the UK. If successful, they will not have to satisfy the minimum income requirement, sit an English language test, or pay a health surcharge.
From 25 November 2016, the 'genuine residence' test replaced the 'centre of life' test that applied between 1 January 2014 and 24 November 2016. Transitional provisions applied when the 'centre of life' test was introduced on 1 January 2014. Where an application under the transitional arrangements was refused, a further application must be considered in accordance with the 'genuine residence' test.
the EEA national must have been a qualified person at the time of the acquisition of the British citizenship, and never have lost such status since.
DMG memo 24/16 and Free movement rights: family members of British citizens provide further government guidance.
In some circumstances, a person may lose family member status. This can have consequences for acquiring a permanent right to reside, which depends on continuous lawful residence in the UK. Any period in which a person did not have a right to reside as a family member does not count as 'lawful' residence for the purpose of acquiring a permanent right to reside (see Five years residence for more information).
In one case, the Court of Appeal held that the non-EEA national daughter of an EEA worker who, for a period of four months after reaching the age of 21 was not dependent on the EEA worker, lost her right to reside as a family member for that period. As a result she had not lived lawfully for a continuous period of five years in the UK, and therefore did not acquire a permanent right to reside. A person in this situation should seek advice on applying for indefinite leave to remain.
In some circumstances, a family member of a worker or self-employed person (or person with a permanent right to reside) will retain a right to reside even after they cease to be a family member following the death of the EEA qualified person, or following divorce from/dissolution of a civil partnership with an EEA qualified person.
the death was the result of an accident at work or an occupational disease.
the family member of one of the above.
An EEA national family member who fulfils any of these conditions, or is a qualifying person for another reason, will have a right to reside in their own right. Their eligibility for homelessness and housing assistance will depend on whether the particular right to reside confers eligibility - see Overview of the eligibility rules.
A direct descendant of a worker/self-employed person/person with a permanent right to reside (or of their spouse/civil partner) retains the right to reside in the UK if that descendant was on an educational course at the time their relative died or left the UK, and continues on that course.
On separation or breakdown, a spouse (ie a married partner) or a civil partner will retain her/his right to reside until formal divorce or termination, even if s/he no longer lives in the same household as the EEA national who is working/self employed or has a permanent right to reside.
A family member of an EEA national who is her/himself an EEA citizen will have to rely on her/his own status in order to have a right of residence following divorce or termination of a civil parthership. S/he might be a qualified person (for example as a worker or self-employed) or have gained a permanent right of residence. The Upper Tribunal has confirmed that this requirement is not contrary to European law.
the continued right to reside is warranted by particularly difficult circumstances, such as the family member was a victim of domestic violence whilst the marriage/civil partnership existed.
Case law has established that in order for the non-EEA national ex-spouse or ex-civil partner to retain a right to reside after three years of marriage and where there are particularly difficult circumstances, the EEA national must have resided in the UK and been a qualified person at the date of commencement of proceedings for divorce or dissolution of the civil partnership. It is not necessary, however, for the EEA national to be a qualified person in the UK until the date the divorce or dissolution is finalised. This is likely also to apply in the cases of access to children.
The rules that enable a non-EEA national family member to retain a right to reside following death or relationship breakdown can be seen as 'bridging the gap' between non-EEA and EEA nationals in the event of their ceasing to be a family member. In terms of eligibility for homelessness assistance, an EEA national's eligibility will depend on them having a right to reside that confers eligibility (see Overview of the eligibility rules). A non-EEA national family member who retains a right to reside because they are working, self-employed or self-sufficient will only be eligible for homelessness and housing assistance if they are economically active.
A child (of any nationality, including a child who is a British national) of an EEA national working in the UK has a right to access education in the UK and an independent right to reside there for the purpose of accessing and continuing education there. In order to gain this right, there will have to be a period of time during the EEA national's employment (or retained worker status) during which the child has been in the UK. However, the child need not actually start education during the time the EEA national is a worker or retains worker status.
The derivative right of residence of the primary carer ends when the child reaches the age of 18, except when the child continues to need the presence of that parent in order to be able to complete her/his education.
This right also applies to A8, A2 or Croatian nationals who were registered/authorised workers at some point when restrictons on their employment applied but who stopped working before they completed 12 months' employment in the UK, who have children in school in the UK.
This derivative right to reside does not apply to the primary carer of a child of an EEA national who was self-employed.
The derivative right to reside of a primary carer of a child in education does not apply to the primary carer of a child whose parents have never worked in the UK. The courts held that an EEA worker who is the mere cohabiting partner (as opposed to the legally recognised spouse or civil partner) of the primary carer, but not the parent of the child in education, cannot confer upon the primary carer of that child the necessary worker status for her/him to be able to acquire a derivative right to reside under these provisions of EU law.
The right to access education in the UK does not extend to the grandchild of an EEA national worker, thus a grandparent cannot obtain a derivative right to reside as a primary carer based on her/his own worker status.
In certain circumstances, a non-EEA national who is a family member of a British citizen living in the UK but travelling often to other Member States for work may be able to establish a derivative right of residence under Article 45 TFEU when s/he provides essential childcare for the family. The European Court of Justice held that Article 45 TFEU must be interpreted as conferring on a third-country national who is the family member of a Union citizen a derived right of residence in the Member State of which that citizen is a national, where the citizen resides in that Member State but regularly travels to another Member State as a worker, if the refusal to grant such a right of residence discourages the worker from effectively exercising her/his rights of free movement within the EU.
the EEA citizen must show that genuine and reasonable steps taken to find alternative childcare provision have been unsuccessful.
A Zambrano carer is a non-EEA national who is the primary carer of (or shares equally the responsibility of caring for) a dependant British national (a minor child or a vulnerable spouse/parent) who would be unable to remain in the EEA, including the UK, if her/his primary carer was required to leave the EEA. For a full explanation of when a person qualifies as a Zambrano carer, including the threshold at which a person may be held to be 'required' to leave the EEA, see the page Right to reside.
A Zambrano carer who applies on or after 8 November 2012 is ineligible for homelessness assistance (or for an allocation of housing under Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996).
would be unable to remain in the UK if her/his primary carer was required to leave the UK.
A self-sufficient person is defined as a person who has sufficient resources not to become a burden on the social assistance system and has comprehensive sickness insurance cover in the UK.
Normally, the parent's act of applying for homelessness would suggest that the child will not be self-sufficient and the parent will no longer have the right to reside. However, the local authority will have to decide whether a homelessness application would amount to a burden on the state’s social assistance. As such an applicant could be eligible for assistance, for example, if fleeing violence or is homeless due to an emergency such as a flood or fire where s/he has financial resources but is unable to secure accommodation quickly.
A Chen case has a derivative right to reside in the UK; see Right to reside for more information.
A primary carer is defined as a direct relative or legal guardian who has primary responsibility for the child's care, or who shares this responsibility equally with another person who does not have a more substantive right to reside in the UK.
The family member (of any nationality) of an EEA national will acquire a permanent right to reside after five years' continuous lawful residence in the UK. For more information see Five years' residence.
Periods of residence in the UK as a result of the derivative right of residence do not constitute lawful residence for the purposes of acquiring a permanent right of residence.
 s. 67 Adoption and Children Act 2002; Adoption (Recognition of Overseas Adoptions) Order 2013 SI 2013/1801; SM (Algeria) v Entry Clearance Officer, UK Visa Section  CJEU C-129/18; SM (Algeria) v Entry Clearance Officer  UKSC 9.
 MS v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (IS)  UKUT 348 (AAC).
 Art.2 and 3 Directive 2004/38/EC; reg 8 Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052.
 see reg 8(5) and the definition of 'durable partner' in reg 2(1) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052.
 reg 8(2) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052; Dauhoo (EEA Regulations - reg 8(2)) Mauritius  UKUT 79 (IAC); Moneke and others (EEA - Other family members (OFMs)) Nigeria  UKUT 341 (IAC); Ihemedu (OFMs - meaning) Nigeria  UKUT 340 (IAC); Oboh and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 1525.
 reg 8(3) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052.
 regs 12, 17 and 18 Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052; Kunwar (EFM - calculating periods of residence)  UKUT 63 (IAC); Moneke and others (EEA - OFMs) Nigeria  341 (IAC); Ihemedu (OFMs - meaning) Nigeria  UKUT 340 (IAC).
 Moneke and others (EEA - OFMs) Nigeria  341 (IAC).
 Aladeselu and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 144.
 Ewulo (effect of family permit - OFM) Nigeria  UKUT 238 (IAC).
 Jia (Free movement of persons)  EUECJ C-1/05; Centre public d'aide sociale de Courcelles v Marie-Christine Lebon, Case 316/85,  ECR 2811.
 Zhu and Chen v Secretary of State for the Home Department C-200/02  ECRI-11315.
 SM (India) v Entry Clearance Officer (Mumbai), OQ (India), NQ (India) v Entry Clearance Officer (Mumbai)  EWCA Civ 1426; EO (Nigeria) v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 1418; EO (Nigeria) v Secretary of State for hte Home Department  EWCA Civ 1418.
 Zhu and Chen v Secretary of State for the Home Department C-200/02  ECRI-11315; CIS/2100/2007.
 SSWP v MF (SPC)  UKUT 179 (AAC).
 Fatima and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 124; AA (Algeria) v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 1741; Soares v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 575; Pedro v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions  EWCA Civ 1358.
 Reyes v Migrationsverket  EUECJ C-423/12; Aladeselu v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 144; Moneke v Secretary of State for the Home Department  UKUT 341 (IAC); RK (India) v Secretary of State for the Home Department  UKUT 421 (IAC); Pedro v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions  EWCA Civ 1358; Bigia v Entry Clearance Officer  EWCA Civ 79.
 reg. 9 Immigration EEA Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052, as amended by Immigration (European Economic Area) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 SI 2018/801 and reg. 3 Immigration (European Economic Area Nationals) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 SI 2019/468; Banger (Unmarried Partner of British National: South Africa)  UKUT 125 (IAC) for the UT reference, and Secretary of State for the Home Department v Banger (Citizenship of European Union - Rights of Union citizens to move and reside freely within the territory of the European Union - Judgment)  EUECJ C-89/17.
 reg 9 Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052, as amended by Immigration (European Economic Area) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 SI 2018/801 and reg. 3 Immigration (European Economic Area Nationals) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 SI 2019/468; DMG Memo 15/18; R (on the application of Benjamin) v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWHC 1626 (Admin).
 GA v SSWP (SPC)  UKUT 172 (AAC).
 reg 9 Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052, as amended by Immigration (European Economic Area) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 SI 2018/801 and and reg. 3 Immigration (European Economic Area Nationals) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 SI 2019/468. See also DMG Memo 15/18.
 reg 9(3) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052, as amended by Immigration (European Economic Area) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 SI 2018/801 and and reg. 3 Immigration (European Economic Area Nationals) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 SI 2019/468.
 O v Minister voor Immigratie (Judgment of the Court)  EUECJ C-456/12.
 Secretary of State for the Home Department v Christy  EWCA Civ 2378.
 see definition of EEA national in reg. 2(1) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052, as amended by Immigration (European Economic Area) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 SI 2018/801. See also DMG Memo 15/18.
 reg 15(1)(e) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052.
 reg 10(2) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052.
 reg 10(3) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052.
 Diatta v Land Berlin  ECR 267; Amos v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 522; R (on the application of Santos) v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWHC 609 (Admin).
 reg 10(5)-(6) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052; Ahmed v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 99.
 reg 10(5)(b) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052; Amos v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 552; AS (Ghana) v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 133.
 Singh and others v Minister of Justice and Equality  EUECJ C-218/14; NA v Secretary of State for the Home Department and Aire Centre (Interveners)  EWCA Civ 995; NA (Judgment)  EUECJ C-115/15; Baigazieva v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 1088.
 (1) MDB (2) MADB (A Child) (3) GRDB (A Child by his litigation friend MDB) v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 1015; Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v RR  UKUT 021 (AAC).
 Article 10 of EU Regulation 492/2011 (which replaced Article 12 of EEC Regulation 1612/68); NA (Judgment)  EUECJ C-115/15.
 see DMG Memo 21/12, Department for Work and Pensions, May 2012 (this reversed the advice given by the DWP on this point in DMG Memo 30/10, and decisions made on that advice should be revised on the grounds of official error when brought to the attention of the decision maker); NA (Judgment)  EUECJ C-115/15.
 reg 16 Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052, as amended by Immigration (European Economic Area) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 SI 2018/801; DMG Memo 15/18; Harrow LBC v Ibrahim  ECJ C-310/38; Texeira v Lambeth LBC  ECJ C-480/08; Baumbast v Secretary of State for Home Department  EUECJ C-413/99; Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v Czop  UKUT 351 (ACC); Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v Punakova  UKUT 352 (ACC); NA (Judgment)  EUECJ C-115/15.
 Alarape and another v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EUECJ C-529/11.
 Secretary of Work and Pensions v JS (IS)  UKUT 347 (AAC); DMG Memo 30/10, Department for Work and Pensions, May 2011.
 Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v (1) Czop (2) Punakova  EUECJ C-147/11 and C-148/11; RM v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (IS)  UKUT 401 AAC; HMRC v IT (CTC)  UKUT 252 (AAC); Hrabkova v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions  EWCA Civ 794.
 ONAFTS v Ahmed (Case C-45/12); IP v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (IS) (Residence and presence conditions: right to reside)  UKUT 691 (AAC).
 JS v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (ESA)  UKUT 0314 (AAC).
 LS (Article 45 TFEU – derivative rights)  UKUT 00426 (IAC); EUECJ Case C-456/12 O and B v Minister voor Immigratie, Integratie en Asiel; EUECJ Case C-457/12 S and G v Minister voor Immigratie, Integratie en Asiel.
 reg 16(2) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052; see also Zhu and Chen v Secretary of State for the Home Department C-200/02  ECRI-11315.
 reg 16(8) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052, as amended by Immigration (European Economic Area) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 SI 2018/801. See also DMG Memo 15/18.
 reg 15(1)(a)-(b) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052; Ahmed v Secretary of State for the Home Department  UKUT 89 (IAC).
 reg 15(2) Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 SI 2016/1052; Okafor and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department  EWCA Civ 499.

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