HC Deb 06 November 2001 vol 374 cc188-9W
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what state benefits foreign nationals are entitled to when given exceptional leave to remain in the UK.[9965]

Malcolm Wicks

Foreign nationals who are granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom (UK) are generally eligible to claim the same range of social security benefits, subject to the same rules of entitlement, as any UK citizen.

The only exceptions to this are people who are admitted to the UK on the condition that they do not have recourse to public funds, and those who are admitted on the condition that a relative who is an existing UK resident gives a written undertaking to support them.