CARD 27

Being in Great Britain

To be able to get disability living allowance or attendance allowance a person must:

• be in Great Britain when they claim or be temporarily absent; and

• have been in Great Britain for 26 weeks out the last 52 weeks (13 weeks for children under 12 months).

KEY PHRASE

NOT PRESENT IN GB

To satisfy the presence condition a person must be in Great Britain when they claim and have been here for at least 26 weeks out of the last 52 weeks. We have decided that you do not satisfy this condition so cannot get disability living allowance/ attendance allowance.

People who can be treated as being in Great Britain

In certain circumstances a person can be treated as being in Great Britain. The most common ones are.

• if the person is abroad because they are in the Army, Navy or Air force, or are a member of the family of someone like this

• the first 26 weeks that a person is abroad provided that they have left Great Britain for a temporary reason, for example a holiday

• if the person has gone abroad specifically for treatment.

KEY PHRASE

NOT TEMPORARY

Temporary absence is usually for a limited period. Only in

exceptional circumstances can an absence which has lasted many years be regarded as temporary. We have decided that you cannot be regarded as being temporarily absent.