Advice for those who have just arrived on a spousal visa

Yes excellent advise I think you can notify them on line also x

A piece of advice for anyone moving in with a UKC who currently lives on their own. If they are recieving the 25% off council tax benefit for sole occupancy - make sure you phone up immediately and get this changed! Obviously getting added to the council tax bill is one way to do this!

Very good advice.  We kept putting it off, and when we finally got around to paying it, we had a big chunk of back money that was owed to the council.

Very good advice.  We kept putting it off, and when we finally got around to paying it, we had a big chunk of back money that was owed to the council.

This, and also someone on this forum overheard someone's ILR get refused because they were still receiving the 25% discount meanng that the couple either weren't living together or they had been claiming a benefit they weren't entitled to!

This, and also someone on this forum overheard someone's ILR get refused because they were still receiving the 25% discount meanng that the couple either weren't living together or they had been claiming a benefit they weren't entitled to!

I'm confused.  The 25% discount isn't a 'benefit'? 

It isn't a benefit in the sense of public funds, but they weren't entitled to it if they were living together unless one of them was a full-time student.

Yes exactly.

My son has got this but it clearly states on council website that he must inform them immediately if another adult comes to live with him IE his wife because he will no longer be entitiled to this.

Exactly what happens if the other peson is subject to imigration control we have yet to find out but I would presume he will be charged full council tax and that he might be able to claim housing benefit as a couple.

Love pads x

It isn't a benefit in the sense of public funds, but they weren't entitled to it if they were living together unless one of them was a full-time student.

Yeah, gotchya. 
Made my heart leap there, because I live alone and take my 25% deduction and I was thinking, ooh not good- will have to pay that back.  But no need to worry!

Sorry for the confusion! 

We're applying for my husbands settlement visa in October but there's nothing wrong with forward planning!
I just wanted to ask for a bit more info on the ILR:

-Is it much like the settlement visa?
-Is there a fee, if so, how much will it rob us?
-Does it automatically make you a british citizen? (my husband has no intention of gaining a citizenship)

Thank you in advance!
Chloe.

So your husband is getting a spousal visa from outside the UK? Under the current rules he will qualify for ILR 2 years after he arrives in the UK. You have to prove that you've lived together the 2 years and pay a huge fee (by the time he gets there, probably over £1000). Here is all the info: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/partnersandfamilies/partners/indefiniteleavetoremain/#header1

It does not automatically give UK citizenship; that's another application and another nearly £1000 fee. He doesn't have to get citizenship, but if he doesn't and you leave the UK for more than 2 years, he would have to start all over again if you ever wanted to move back, so it's worth considering. He would not lose his US citizenship by taking up UK citizenship.

Thanks for the advice! That's definitely something we'll have to look into!

Hiya

I may have a bit of a problem then when it comes to getting my ILR. (I need to be apply for this in November.)

When we got married I was put on the council tax bill (so I was listed as another adult living in teh same house as my husband) but I was never put on ANY of the bills. I give him a certain amount of money each month to cover these expenses and can show that on my bank statements. Will this be enough?

I just wonder if I have enough time to be added onto the bills before November. I didn't realise that we had to have both names on bills coming in. The lady at the office in Solihull said we just needed several pieces of mail coming to the house in my name and in his. It didn't have to be together. Bit nervous now.

Do you have anything from the NHS, DVLA, or HMRC in your name?  Bank statements? It doesn't necessarily have to be bills, but post from an official source.

You don't have to have anything in both names. As long as you have post coming to you that is fine.

I had no bills in my ILR app. (I in fact had no joint mail at all). I had bank statements, mail from my GP telling me to come in for an appointment, a letter from the DVLA, and letters from HMRC. For my husband, we had the standard household bills and council tax and etc, there were no issues at all.
Just make sure you have enough official mail for both of you, from a variety of sources, spread out over the time you need for the ILR.

x-posted with Dr.Super