IS20 - A guide to Income Support

Who can get Income Support?

People who can claim reduced Income Support

Some people from abroad who normally must be self-supporting (see under ‘General rules’), may be able to get a reduced Income Support payment called an urgent case payment. For full details of urgent case payments go to Urgent Claims. You may be able to get such a payment if you have been self-supporting and your funds from abroad have temporarily stopped, but you are likely to get the money again soon (for example, if you are an overseas student and you are waiting for your government to pay the next instalment of your grant). The payment in this case is limited to a maximum of 42 days. [Legislation (19)]

Sponsored immigrants

Sponsored immigrants are admitted to the United Kingdom on the understanding that they have relatives or friends who are prepared to support them. The sponsor signs a maintenance undertaking which is legally binding. Sponsored immigrants are not entitled to benefit for 5 years from the date of their entry or the date on which the maintenance undertaking was signed (whichever is the later) unless the sponsor or sponsors die. In certain circumstances Urgent Case Payments can be paid to sponsored immigrants whose sponsor or sponsors die in the first 5 years.

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