Habitual residency and the Common Travel Area

Some groups of people are only eligible for homelessness assistance if they are habitually resident in the Common Travel Area (CTA).

The CTA includes:

• UK
• Republic of Ireland
• Channel Islands
• Isle of Man.

British nationals

British Nationals who have returned from outside of the CTA may not be eligible for financial support or benefits immediately, as they will not meet the eligibility requirement to be habitually resident.

You must be resident within the CTA for three months before making a claim.

This includes the following benefits:

• universal credit
• jobseeker’s allowance
• child benefit.

Returning British nationals will still be entitled to NHS and social care services as these are not public funds.