§ Vernon CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what entitlement there is to social housing for British citizens leaving Zimbabwe because of the internal situation in that country. [31192]
§ Ms KeebleBritish citizens returning to the UK from overseas have the same entitlement to local authority housing as citizens already resident provided they are habitually resident in the Common Travel Area (CTA), that is, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Unless resuming a previous period of habitual residence within the CTA, they would need to demonstrate, among other things, that their future centre of interest lay in the UK in order to establish habitual residence. Some local housing authorities currently set additional qualifying criteria.
British citizens returning to the UK from overseas are entitled to apply for social housing held by other registered social landlords (housing associations). They are also eligible to seek assistance from social services authorities under the National Assistance Act 1948 or the Children Act 1989, if necessary.