Right to Reside - Worker

Which benefits?

If you have right to reside as a worker, you can claim:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment & Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Housing Benefit

If you have a right to reside as a worker and you are ordinarily resident in the UK, you can claim:

• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Child Benefit
• Guardian’s Allowance

Do I have a right to reside as a worker?

You may have a right to reside as a worker if you are employed and your work is genuine and effective.

Whether your work is genuine and effective depends on:

• How many hours you work
• How long you have had your job
• How much you earn
• How regular the work is

Examples of work that is not genuine and effective:

• Work only a few hours per week for less than minimum wage
• Work lots of hours but only get paid for a few of them
• Work for a friend or relative for free

If you’re not sure whether your work is genuine and effective, you should seek specialist advice.  You can use our Find an Adviser tool to find an adviser near you.

How long am I a worker?

You stop being a worker when you stop being employed or when your work stops being genuine and effective.

If you have stopped being a worker, you may have show that you have a different right to reside to start or continue your benefit claims.

You can check whether you have another right to reside on our Types of Rights to Reside page.