Exportable Benefits and S1 Forms

If you have, or you're likely to apply for in the future, one of these disability and care benefits from the UK this is an important post for you. The benefits affected are:

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA),

• Personal Independent Payment (PIP),

• Carers Allowance (CA) and

• Attendance Allowance (AA).

All of these benefits are currently exportable, which means you can continue to receive them if you live in the EU, EEA or Switzerland - and they will continue to be exportable under the WA, so you will continue to receive them. Currently these benefits can also be claimed if you already live in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland as long as you have a genuine link with the UK social security system, for example you’ve lived or worked in the UK.

Until recently all of these benefits carried automatic eligibility to an S1 form for those living abroad (see our explainer for info the S1 system).

Some of you know that the Department of Health and Social Care has been carrying out a review of eligibility for S1 forms for those in receipt of these benefits, and some of you have contacted us because you've had difficulty in applying for an S1. The DHSC has now finished its review, and there is an important change in the offing from 1 January 2021.

Please note that this applies only to S1s issued on the back of these 4 exportable benefits, not to those issued for state pensioners or in other circumstances.

1. If you currently have an S1 issued because you receive one or more of these benefits:
   You will continue to be covered by your S1 for as long as you export the benefit, both up to and beyond 31 December 2020. Nothing will change for you.
2. If you have been granted a time-limited S1 form because you receive one or more of these benefits:
   You will be able to apply for renewal of your S1 form for as long as you continue to receive the benefit(s), both up to and beyond 31 December 2020. Nothing will change for you.
3. If you have already applied for an S1 because you receive one or more of these benefits:
   An S1 form will be issued to you as long as you otherwise meet the criteria and you will keep it as long as you continue to receive the benefit(s).
4. If you have not already applied for an S1 on the basis of exporting one of the above benefits:
   You can still apply, but you must apply by 31 December 2020. If you do apply by then an S1 form will be issued as long as you otherwise meet the criteria and you will keep it as long as you continue to receive the benefit(s).

After 31 December 2020, it will no longer be possible to make a new application for an S1 form on the basis that you receive DLA, PIP, CA or AA. If you receive one of these benefits and do not currently have an S1 form, you should apply for one now.

Implications for family reunification:

If you have family members joining you under the WA after 31 December who receive one or more of these benefits, although they will be able to continue to export their benefit (as they will be covered by the WA) they will only be able to apply for an S1 if they also receive a UK state pension.

Here's the relevant page on the NHS website.