TCM0290170 - Specialist areas – Persons from abroad: Gateway Protection Programme

Checklist

Before you follow this guidance make sure

  • you have the correct user roles to follow this guidance
  • you are in the correct MU. Follow the guidance in TCM0322460
  • you have access to the tax credit computer system (NTC)
  • you have access to the Child Benefit Service
  • you have access to the NIRS system
  • you have access to Accessing DWP Data (ADD) browser system
  • the claim form you are processing has ‘Gateway Protection Programme’ clearly marked on the front of the form

Background

The Gateway Protection Programme is a scheme operated by the UK Border Agency in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2004, offering a legal route for a quota of UNHCR-identified refugees to settle in the United Kingdom. Under the Gateway programme, the UNHCR identifies the most vulnerable people in long-term refugee camps. Up to 750 refugees per year are allocated to the UK, and these candidates are then assessed for eligibility, under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees by the Home Office. If they meet the eligibility criteria they are brought to the UK and granted indefinite leave to remain. The International Organization for Migration helps facilitate pre-departure medical screening, counselling, dossier preparation, transport and immediate arrival assistance. Once in the UK, refugees are entered into a 12-month support programme which aims to aid their integration.

The programme is distinct from and in addition to ordinary provisions for claiming asylum in the United Kingdom.

All Gateway Protection claims are dealt with by a specialist team and should be treated as priority cases.

Reasons not to follow this guidance

Where any customer

  • is not a member of the Gateway Protection Programme
  • is a national of Switzerland or EU including A2 nationals
  • is a national of Croatia and their claim has been made on or after 1 July 2013
  • is a Crown Servant or Posted Worker or Ghurkha
  • lives outside the UK
  • works outside the UK

Guidance

Note: When sending customer, staff or process data to another individual or team, make sure you follow the latest data security guidelines or contact the Data Guardian / Data Security Team for advice.

Note: From 6 April 2017, customers will only get the Family Element of Child Tax Credit where they are responsible for a child or children born before that date.

Note: From 6 April 2017, customers will only get the child element of Child Tax Credit (CTC) for up to 2 children. If they are already claiming tax credits for more than 2 children born before 6 April 2017, they will continue to get tax credits for each of them.

Note: If you are dealing with a claim where the customer states they are claiming for a child/young person who is an exception contact the Exception Team (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) . (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) For how to check if the exception marker has been applied, use TCM1000314.

Step 1

Check that the TC600 received is for a customer who is part of the Gateway Protection Programme (GPP). Members of the GPP will have received assistance at a Job Centre Plus Office to complete the form and it will have been fast tracked by DWP to TCO with ‘Gateway’ marked clearly on the front of the form.

If the customer is part of the Gateway Protection Programme, go to Step 2

If the customer is not part of the Gateway Protection Programme,

  • forward the TC600 to the Business as Usual team to be processed
  • take no further action.

If you have received details from the Specialist Trace Unit for a NINO/NONO allocation, go to Step 5

Step 2

Check whether there is a previous tax credits claim on NTC.

If there is no previous tax credit claim,

  • manually capture the Tax Credit claim. For how to do this follow the guidance in TCM0064260.
  • backdate the claim to the date the customer arrived in the UK as indicated on Home Office documents.
    Note: Normal backdating rules apply.
    Note: If no date is shown on the HO documents, use the date the form was signed, or the date shown in appendix 44 of the TC600, using whichever date is earliest.
  • go to Step 3

If there is a previous tax credit claim,

  • clear the case as a duplicate
  • where the customer has submitted the claim form in error to notify of a new child or employment, update NTC with the change in circumstances. For how to do this follow the appropriate guidance in TCM0030000
  • update Household Notes with DF05 from TCM0156080. For how to do this, use TCM1000028
  • take no further action.

Step 3

Check Home Office documents and Passport details match claim details and that claimant has permission to enter the UK.

If the customer has limited leave to enter the UK,

  • enter case details on “Moving On” spreadsheet
  • process the claim
  • update Application Notes with the message DF12 from TCM0156080 including leave to enter the UK details. For how to do this, use TCM1000028
  • go to Step 4.

Note: where bank details are missing update Application Notes with the message DF16 from TCM0156080. For how to do this, use TCM1000028.

If the customer has indefinite leave to enter the UK,

  • process the claim
  • update Application Notes with the message DF12 from TCM0156080 including leave to enter the UK details. For how to do this, use TCM1000028
  • go to Step 4

Note: where bank details are missing update Application Notes with the message DF16 from TCM0156080. For how to do this, use TCM1000028.

Step 4

Check whether a NINO or NONO has been allocated.

If a NINO or NONO has been allocated, go to Step 5.

If a NINO or NONO has not been allocated,

  • forward details to Specialist Trace Unit (STU) using Fast Track Request for NINO/NONO allocation
  • BF case for two weeks

Step 5

Check ADD to see whether the NINO or NONO is NIRS maintained. Follow the guidance in TCM0132060

If the NINO is NIRS maintained, go to Step 6

If the NINO or NONO is not NIRS maintained,

  • forward details to Specialist Trace Unit (STU) using Fast Track Request for NINO/NONO allocation
  • BF case for two weeks

Step 6

Check claim status. For how to do this follow the guidance in TCM1000278.

If the claim is Award Issued,

  • send the TC600 to storage
  • take no further action

If the claim is Awaiting Award,

  • take action to clear any verification failures
  • send the TC600 to storage
  • take no further action