Written Question·Department for Work and Pensions·UIN 108266

Social Security Benefits: Foreign Nationals

Tabled: 26 January 2026

Answered: 9 February 2026

Question

Helen Whately

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to verify the ongoing residency of non-UK national claimants who have been absent from the UK for more than a month.

Answer

Andrew Western

The Department uses the Habitual Residence Test (HRT) for income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit, to assess whether someone has a legal right to be here and whether they are factually resident in the UK. For an individual to be factually habitu...

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