Spouse Visa Application & Council Tax Benefit

[Nassima]

Morning,
Please I need your help, this is my situation and hope I'll be able to explain it clearly:
I am Algerian woman married to a British man, he is on incapacity benefit, Council Tax Benefit, etc. I am applying for Spouse visa to join him in UK. We understand that I/we should have No Recourse to Public Funds and me being there should cause NO ADDITIONAL public funds claiming. However there is a complication.
He lives in a council property.
Since he is currently the only person living in the property the council tax bill is 75% of the total bill.
This is called ‘single occupancy discount’.
When there are two or more people living in the property the council tax bill is then 100% of the total bill.
The government thru council tax benefit pays whatever the council tax bill is.
Now it's 75% of the total bill.
When I join him there it will be 100% of the total bill.( because two poeple will be living in the flat)
It is this ‘extra’ 25% which is causing the problem.
Is this "discount" or "additional" for us amount concidered as Additional public funds? We can show we can live on what he gets and my savings etc but I/we don't want to accept any additional public funds that may effect my visa application. We even suggested to refuse it or pay that 25% back to the council but they sent a letter saying there's no way NOT to accept it..
Please help will my visa be rejected for this?
I'm scared I won't be able to join my husband!
Thanks in advance
Nassi

[John]

Please help will my visa be rejected for this?

Let's put it this way, I have never heard of anyone not getting their visa, for that reason.

Having said that, I have had the same thought as you in the past, but ECOs do not seem to be awake to this. So all I would say is ..... there is absolutely no reason to draw attention to this situation,

Also, when you get to the UK, what do you intend to do? Are you intending to work? To earn money? If you are then the benefits are likely to reduce somewhat, reducing the cost to the Government.

[Nassima]

Please help will my visa be rejected for this?

Let's put it this way, I have never heard of anyone not getting their visa, for that reason.

Having said that, I have had the same thought as you in the past, but ECOs do not seem to be awake to this. So all I would say is ..... there is absolutely no reason to draw attention to this situation,

Also, when you get to the UK, what do you intend to do? Are you intending to work? To earn money? If you are then the benefits are likely to reduce somewhat, reducing the cost to the Government.

I was impatiently waiting your answer John
To answer you: Yes I entend to work & earn money. If you remember I'm the one who had a post here said that I'm working as a sub-contractor for BP in Algeria
I was searching on the net and wonder if I can be considered as 'Disregarded person' as it clarifies it in this website:
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/lif ... counciltax
If only one adult lives in a property, they will get a 25 per cent discount on the council tax bill. When working out how many people live in a property, some people are not counted. These are called disregarded people.
You are disregarded if you are:
a spouse, civil partner or a dependant of a student who is a non- British Citizen and who, under immigration rules, is not allowed either to work in the UK or claim benefit
So probably my husband will remain getting the same bills rate?
My husband has emailed his local council representative ( is that word correct?) and the council to explain and ask for help as we don't want to get "additional' public funds when I join him..
Thanks again for your reply!

[Nassima]

Hi there,

I have finally applied for the spouse visa and still worried about the result. I did all I can me and my husband. My concern is that he is getting public funds and disabled (Diagnized with Asperger Syndrome) but he has done some unpaid work for charities. I submitted almost everything I had startiing from the emails and chat logs pictures of our relationship before engagement, during and after marriage, I haven't been able to submit before because I have been working hard to gether money in my account and show that I can support myself during the 2 years of approbation?(not sure of the term) of my visa if granted, also attached my diploma ( equivalent of British Bachelor Degree) and post office account statment which shows in dinars 900.000.00 DZD which is the equivalent of around £7000, my previous and current managers letters of recommendations and cv etc..
The most important is that me and my husband we wrote a letter to UKBA to state that we will refuse any additional public funds and that we will not seek any( refuse in case given to us) and that we both will seek ful time eployment..

Is this OK so far? I mean yes I have already submitted it after a long time and a lot of stress being far from my husband but still worried they'll refuse it?