we are a small community with limited staff in the emergency services. we would like to have experienced staff in one branch of emergency services provide driving tests to staff in another branch. can staff from different emergency services offer each other driving tests ?

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

Provide driving tests for your employees

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

The same delegated driving examiner can provide tests for both a police service and a fire and rescue service, but both must appoint them with DVSA.

Rules for your driving examiners

When deciding whether to give permission for someone to provide driving tests, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) looks at if they:

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

You must include information about your organisation, the tests you want to provide, and the people you want to appoint as delegated driving examiners.

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

confirmation that you, as the person submitting the application, is an approved signatory for the purposes of the application

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

the type of tests you want to provide, for example, licence acquisition theory test, licence acquisition practical test and so on

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

You’ll need to include the full names and driving licence numbers of the people you want to appoint as delegated driving examiners.

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

police service

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

fire and rescue service

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

emergency service vehicles

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

an employee

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

confirmation that you, as the person submitting the application, is an approved signatory for the purposes of the application

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.

Who can provide driving tests

Driving tests are usually provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can apply to DVSA for permission for your own staff to provide driving tests for your employees if you’re a:

bus or haulage operating licence holder

police service

fire and rescue service

Your staff providing driving tests will be known as ‘delegated driving examiners’.

Tests that can be provided

Delegated driving examiners are allowed to provide theory and practical driving tests for drivers of:

lorries

buses and coaches

cars and trailers

emergency service vehicles

Lorry, bus and coach companies

Delegated driving examiners working for lorry, bus and coach companies can test:

an employee

an employee of a sister company

As a delegated driving examiner, you cannot test someone you’ve trained.

Emergency services

Delegated driving examiners working for police services and fire and rescue services can test:

an employee

an employee from the same type of service in a different area

Rules for your driving examiners

have a full driving licence for the type of vehicle they’re testing in

have had any convictions in the last 3 years

have been disqualified from driving

have any court proceedings pending against them

have any penalty points on their licence

Qualifying as a delegated driving examiner

Your employees must then:

complete an initial training course

reach an appropriate standard in the delegated driving examiner theory and practical tests

DVSA will send you more information about the qualifying process when you apply to provide driving tests.

Apply to provide driving tests

You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to get permission to provide driving tests.

You cannot currently contact DVSA by telephone or post because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your organisation

You’ll need to include:

the full name of the organisation

the registered address or headquarters address (if you’re not a registered company)

a copy of your certificate of incorporation if you’re a registered company

a copy of your operator licence (if you have one)

the name, position and contact details of the main contact in your organisation for driving tests

confirmation that you, as the person submitting the application, is an approved signatory for the purposes of the application

The tests you want to provide

You’ll need to include:

details of the locations at which testing would take place

the categories of tests you want to provide, for example, ‘category D - bus’

details of where the records about the tests would be stored

an estimate of the minimum number of tests you’ll provide in the 12 months following your approval

The people you want to appoint as examiners

When DVSA gets your application

DVSA will tell you its decision about your application within 10 working days.

You’ll also get information about:

the qualifying process

the detailed rules about providing theory and practical driving tests

the detailed rules about recording tests that you provide

You can email DVSA if you need more information.


I live in a house owned by a housing association. This house is located in Newcastle. I want to buy my home, and heard you can get discounts. What discount would I receive for buying my home?

Right to Acquire allows most housing association tenants to buy their home at a discount. You apply using the Right to Acquire application form.

Right to Acquire: buying your housing association home

Overview

You can apply to buy your housing association home if you’ve had a public sector landlord for 3 years. These landlords include:

housing associations

councils

the armed services

NHS trusts and foundation trusts

Eligible properties

Your property must either have been:

built or bought by a housing association after 31 March 1997 (and funded through a social housing grant provided by the Housing Corporation or local council)

transferred from a local council to a housing association after 31 March 1997

Your landlord must be registered with the Regulator of Social Housing.

The home you want to buy must also be:

a self-contained property

your only or main home

Joint applications

You can make a joint application with:

someone who shares your tenancy

up to 3 family members who’ve lived with you for the past 12 months (even if they don’t share your tenancy)

Who doesn’t qualify

You can’t use Right to Acquire if:

you’re being made bankrupt

a court has ordered you to leave your home

you’re a council tenant – you may be able to use Right to Buy instead

you have ‘Preserved Right to Buy’

Discounts

You can get a discount of between £9,000 and £16,000 on the price of your property.

The amount of discount you’ll get depends on where you live in the UK.

Your landlord will tell you what discount you’ll get when you apply to buy your home. You can also download a table of discounts, broken down by location.

Your discount might be reduced if you’ve used Right to Acquire or Right to Buy in the past.

Applying

Fill in the Right to Acquire application form

Send it to your landlord.

Your landlord must say yes or no within 4 weeks of getting your application (8 weeks if they’ve been your landlord for less than 3 years). If your landlord says no, they must say why. You can’t appeal against the landlord’s decision.

If your landlord agrees to sell, they’ll send you an offer. They must do this within 8 weeks of saying yes if you’re buying a freehold property, or 12 weeks if you’re buying a leasehold property.

Your landlord might offer you the choice of buying your home, or another empty one that they own. You don’t have to accept the other property and your landlord doesn’t have to offer you one.

Your landlord’s offer

If your landlord agrees to sell, their offer will tell you:

the price they think you should pay for the property and how it was worked out

your discount and how it was worked out

a description of the property and any land included in the price

estimates of any service charge (for a flat or maisonette) for the first 5 years

any known problems with the property’s structure, eg subsidence

Deciding to buy

Once you get your landlord’s offer, you have 12 weeks to tell them that you still want to buy.

If you don’t reply, the landlord will send you a reminder (called an ‘RTA4’). You’ll have a reasonable time (at least 28 days) to reply. If you don’t, your landlord will send a final reminder (called an ‘RTA5’). If you don’t reply to that, your landlord can drop your application.

You can pull out of the sale and continue to rent at any time.

If you disagree with the landlord’s offer

Contact your landlord and tell them why.

If you think your landlord has set your home’s market value too high, you must write to them within 3 months of getting the offer and ask for an independent valuation.

A district valuer from HM Revenue & Customs will visit your home and decide how much it’s worth. You have 12 weeks to accept their valuation or pull out of the sale.

Selling your home

If you sell your home within 10 years of buying it through Right to Acquire, you must first offer it to your old landlord.

The property should be sold at the full market price agreed between you and the landlord.

If you can’t agree, a district valuer will say how much your home is worth and set the price. You won’t have to pay for their valuation.

If the landlord doesn’t agree to buy your home within 8 weeks, you can sell it to anyone.

Paying back your discount

If you sell your home within 5 years of buying it, you’ll have to pay back some or all of the discount you got.

If you sell within the first year, you’ll have to pay back all of the discount. On top of this, the amount you pay back depends on the value of your home when you sell it. So, if you got a 10% discount, you’ll have to pay back 10% of the selling price.

If you sell after the first year, the total amount you pay back reduces. You pay back:

80% of the discount in the second year

60% of the discount in the third year

40% of the discount in the fourth year

20% of the discount in the fifth year

Help and advice

The Money Advice Service offers free, impartial advice about money, including buying a home and taking out a mortgage.

You can also get advice on Right to Acquire from:

Citizens Advice

Shelter

your local Law Centre

You can apply to buy your housing association home if you’ve had a public sector landlord for 3 years. These landlords include:

Overview

housing associations

councils

the armed services

NHS trusts and foundation trusts

Eligible properties

Your property must either have been:

transferred from a local council to a housing association after 31 March 1997

Your landlord must be registered with the Regulator of Social Housing.

The home you want to buy must also be:

a self-contained property

your only or main home

Joint applications

You can make a joint application with:

someone who shares your tenancy

up to 3 family members who’ve lived with you for the past 12 months (even if they don’t share your tenancy)

Who doesn’t qualify

You can’t use Right to Acquire if:

you’re being made bankrupt

a court has ordered you to leave your home

you’re a council tenant – you may be able to use Right to Buy instead

you have ‘Preserved Right to Buy’

Discounts

You can get a discount of between £9,000 and £16,000 on the price of your property.

The amount of discount you’ll get depends on where you live in the UK.

Your discount might be reduced if you’ve used Right to Acquire or Right to Buy in the past.

Applying

Fill in the Right to Acquire application form

Send it to your landlord.

Your landlord’s offer

If your landlord agrees to sell, their offer will tell you:

the price they think you should pay for the property and how it was worked out

your discount and how it was worked out

a description of the property and any land included in the price

estimates of any service charge (for a flat or maisonette) for the first 5 years

any known problems with the property’s structure, eg subsidence

Deciding to buy

Once you get your landlord’s offer, you have 12 weeks to tell them that you still want to buy.

You can pull out of the sale and continue to rent at any time.

If you disagree with the landlord’s offer

Contact your landlord and tell them why.

Selling your home

If you sell your home within 10 years of buying it through Right to Acquire, you must first offer it to your old landlord.

The property should be sold at the full market price agreed between you and the landlord.

If the landlord doesn’t agree to buy your home within 8 weeks, you can sell it to anyone.

Paying back your discount

If you sell your home within 5 years of buying it, you’ll have to pay back some or all of the discount you got.

If you sell after the first year, the total amount you pay back reduces. You pay back:

80% of the discount in the second year

60% of the discount in the third year

40% of the discount in the fourth year

20% of the discount in the fifth year

Help and advice

The Money Advice Service offers free, impartial advice about money, including buying a home and taking out a mortgage.

You can also get advice on Right to Acquire from:

Citizens Advice

Shelter

your local Law Centre

housing associations

Overview

You can apply to buy your housing association home if you’ve had a public sector landlord for 3 years. These landlords include:

housing associations

councils

the armed services

NHS trusts and foundation trusts

Eligible properties

Your property must either have been:

transferred from a local council to a housing association after 31 March 1997

Your landlord must be registered with the Regulator of Social Housing.

The home you want to buy must also be:

a self-contained property

your only or main home

Joint applications

You can make a joint application with:

someone who shares your tenancy

up to 3 family members who’ve lived with you for the past 12 months (even if they don’t share your tenancy)

Who doesn’t qualify

You can’t use Right to Acquire if:

you’re being made bankrupt

a court has ordered you to leave your home

you’re a council tenant – you may be able to use Right to Buy instead

you have ‘Preserved Right to Buy’

Discounts

You can get a discount of between £9,000 and £16,000 on the price of your property.

The amount of discount you’ll get depends on where you live in the UK.

Your discount might be reduced if you’ve used Right to Acquire or Right to Buy in the past.

Applying

Fill in the Right to Acquire application form

Send it to your landlord.

Your landlord’s offer

If your landlord agrees to sell, their offer will tell you:

the price they think you should pay for the property and how it was worked out

your discount and how it was worked out

a description of the property and any land included in the price

estimates of any service charge (for a flat or maisonette) for the first 5 years

any known problems with the property’s structure, eg subsidence

Deciding to buy

Once you get your landlord’s offer, you have 12 weeks to tell them that you still want to buy.

You can pull out of the sale and continue to rent at any time.

If you disagree with the landlord’s offer

Contact your landlord and tell them why.

Selling your home

If you sell your home within 10 years of buying it through Right to Acquire, you must first offer it to your old landlord.

The property should be sold at the full market price agreed between you and the landlord.

If the landlord doesn’t agree to buy your home within 8 weeks, you can sell it to anyone.

Paying back your discount

If you sell your home within 5 years of buying it, you’ll have to pay back some or all of the discount you got.

If you sell after the first year, the total amount you pay back reduces. You pay back:

80% of the discount in the second year

60% of the discount in the third year

40% of the discount in the fourth year

20% of the discount in the fifth year

Help and advice

The Money Advice Service offers free, impartial advice about money, including buying a home and taking out a mortgage.

You can also get advice on Right to Acquire from:

Citizens Advice

Shelter

your local Law Centre

You can get a discount of between £9,000 and £16,000 on the price of your property.

Overview

You can apply to buy your housing association home if you’ve had a public sector landlord for 3 years. These landlords include:

housing associations

councils

the armed services

NHS trusts and foundation trusts

Eligible properties

Your property must either have been:

transferred from a local council to a housing association after 31 March 1997

Your landlord must be registered with the Regulator of Social Housing.

The home you want to buy must also be:

a self-contained property

your only or main home

Joint applications

You can make a joint application with:

someone who shares your tenancy

up to 3 family members who’ve lived with you for the past 12 months (even if they don’t share your tenancy)

Who doesn’t qualify

You can’t use Right to Acquire if:

you’re being made bankrupt

a court has ordered you to leave your home

you’re a council tenant – you may be able to use Right to Buy instead

you have ‘Preserved Right to Buy’

Discounts

The amount of discount you’ll get depends on where you live in the UK.

Your discount might be reduced if you’ve used Right to Acquire or Right to Buy in the past.

Applying

Fill in the Right to Acquire application form

Send it to your landlord.

Your landlord’s offer

If your landlord agrees to sell, their offer will tell you:

the price they think you should pay for the property and how it was worked out

your discount and how it was worked out

a description of the property and any land included in the price

estimates of any service charge (for a flat or maisonette) for the first 5 years

any known problems with the property’s structure, eg subsidence

Deciding to buy

Once you get your landlord’s offer, you have 12 weeks to tell them that you still want to buy.

You can pull out of the sale and continue to rent at any time.

If you disagree with the landlord’s offer

Contact your landlord and tell them why.

Selling your home

If you sell your home within 10 years of buying it through Right to Acquire, you must first offer it to your old landlord.

The property should be sold at the full market price agreed between you and the landlord.

If the landlord doesn’t agree to buy your home within 8 weeks, you can sell it to anyone.

Paying back your discount

If you sell your home within 5 years of buying it, you’ll have to pay back some or all of the discount you got.

If you sell after the first year, the total amount you pay back reduces. You pay back:

80% of the discount in the second year

60% of the discount in the third year

40% of the discount in the fourth year

20% of the discount in the fifth year

Help and advice

The Money Advice Service offers free, impartial advice about money, including buying a home and taking out a mortgage.

You can also get advice on Right to Acquire from:

Citizens Advice

Shelter

your local Law Centre

The amount of discount you’ll get depends on where you live in the UK.

Overview

You can apply to buy your housing association home if you’ve had a public sector landlord for 3 years. These landlords include:

housing associations

councils

the armed services

NHS trusts and foundation trusts

Eligible properties

Your property must either have been:

transferred from a local council to a housing association after 31 March 1997

Your landlord must be registered with the Regulator of Social Housing.

The home you want to buy must also be:

a self-contained property

your only or main home

Joint applications

You can make a joint application with:

someone who shares your tenancy

up to 3 family members who’ve lived with you for the past 12 months (even if they don’t share your tenancy)

Who doesn’t qualify

You can’t use Right to Acquire if:

you’re being made bankrupt

a court has ordered you to leave your home

you’re a council tenant – you may be able to use Right to Buy instead

you have ‘Preserved Right to Buy’

Discounts

You can get a discount of between £9,000 and £16,000 on the price of your property.

Your discount might be reduced if you’ve used Right to Acquire or Right to Buy in the past.

Applying

Fill in the Right to Acquire application form

Send it to your landlord.

Your landlord’s offer

If your landlord agrees to sell, their offer will tell you:

the price they think you should pay for the property and how it was worked out

your discount and how it was worked out

a description of the property and any land included in the price

estimates of any service charge (for a flat or maisonette) for the first 5 years

any known problems with the property’s structure, eg subsidence

Deciding to buy

Once you get your landlord’s offer, you have 12 weeks to tell them that you still want to buy.

You can pull out of the sale and continue to rent at any time.

If you disagree with the landlord’s offer

Contact your landlord and tell them why.

Selling your home

If you sell your home within 10 years of buying it through Right to Acquire, you must first offer it to your old landlord.

The property should be sold at the full market price agreed between you and the landlord.

If you can’t agree, a district valuer will say how much your home is worth and set the price. You won’t have to pay for their valuation.

If the landlord doesn’t agree to buy your home within 8 weeks, you can sell it to anyone.

Paying back your discount

If you sell your home within 5 years of buying it, you’ll have to pay back some or all of the discount you got.

If you sell after the first year, the total amount you pay back reduces. You pay back:

80% of the discount in the second year

60% of the discount in the third year

40% of the discount in the fourth year

20% of the discount in the fifth year

Help and advice

The Money Advice Service offers free, impartial advice about money, including buying a home and taking out a mortgage.

You can also get advice on Right to Acquire from:

Citizens Advice

Shelter

your local Law Centre

Your discount might be reduced if you’ve used Right to Acquire or Right to Buy in the past.

Overview

You can apply to buy your housing association home if you’ve had a public sector landlord for 3 years. These landlords include:

housing associations

councils

the armed services

NHS trusts and foundation trusts

Eligible properties

Your property must either have been:

transferred from a local council to a housing association after 31 March 1997

Your landlord must be registered with the Regulator of Social Housing.

The home you want to buy must also be:

a self-contained property

your only or main home

Joint applications

You can make a joint application with:

someone who shares your tenancy

up to 3 family members who’ve lived with you for the past 12 months (even if they don’t share your tenancy)

Who doesn’t qualify

You can’t use Right to Acquire if:

you’re being made bankrupt

a court has ordered you to leave your home

you’re a council tenant – you may be able to use Right to Buy instead

you have ‘Preserved Right to Buy’

Discounts

You can get a discount of between £9,000 and £16,000 on the price of your property.

The amount of discount you’ll get depends on where you live in the UK.

Applying

Fill in the Right to Acquire application form

Send it to your landlord.

Your landlord’s offer

If your landlord agrees to sell, their offer will tell you:

the price they think you should pay for the property and how it was worked out

your discount and how it was worked out

a description of the property and any land included in the price

estimates of any service charge (for a flat or maisonette) for the first 5 years

any known problems with the property’s structure, eg subsidence

Deciding to buy

Once you get your landlord’s offer, you have 12 weeks to tell them that you still want to buy.

You can pull out of the sale and continue to rent at any time.

If you disagree with the landlord’s offer

Contact your landlord and tell them why.

Selling your home

If you sell your home within 10 years of buying it through Right to Acquire, you must first offer it to your old landlord.

The property should be sold at the full market price agreed between you and the landlord.

If you can’t agree, a district valuer will say how much your home is worth and set the price. You won’t have to pay for their valuation.

If the landlord doesn’t agree to buy your home within 8 weeks, you can sell it to anyone.

Paying back your discount

If you sell your home within 5 years of buying it, you’ll have to pay back some or all of the discount you got.

If you sell after the first year, the total amount you pay back reduces. You pay back:

80% of the discount in the second year

60% of the discount in the third year

40% of the discount in the fourth year

20% of the discount in the fifth year

Help and advice

The Money Advice Service offers free, impartial advice about money, including buying a home and taking out a mortgage.

You can also get advice on Right to Acquire from:

Citizens Advice

Shelter

your local Law Centre


My business has just acquired a subsidiary, which has made a new group. We are eligible to claim employment allowance, and have done so in the past. We do not know how being part of a group changes the way the employment allowance works. Do we claim employment allowance for both companies?

Only one company in the group can claim the allowance.

Employment Allowance

What you'll get

Employment Allowance allows eligible employers to reduce their annual National Insurance liability by up to £4,000.

You’ll pay less employers’ Class 1 National Insurance each time you run your payroll until the £4,000 has gone or the tax year ends (whichever is sooner).

You can only claim against your employers’ Class 1 National Insurance liability up to a maximum of £4,000 each tax year. You can still claim the allowance if your liability was less than £4,000 a year.

Check if you're eligible

You can claim Employment Allowance if you’re a business or charity (including community amateur sports clubs) and your employers’ Class 1 National Insurance liabilities were less than £100,000 in the previous tax year.

You can also claim if you employ a care or support worker.

You can claim Employment Allowance for the previous 4 tax years dating back to the 2017 to 2018 tax year. Some of the rules for claiming are different.

If you’re part of a group

If you’re part of a group of charities or companies (also known as connected companies), the total employers’ Class 1 National Insurance liabilities for the group must be less than £100,000.

If you have more than one payroll

If you have or had more than one employer PAYE reference, the total employers’ Class 1 National Insurance liabilities for your combined payrolls must be less than £100,000 in the previous tax year

You can only claim Employment Allowance against one of the payrolls.

Off-payroll salary payments

Do not include employers’ Class 1 National Insurance liabilities on payments you make to off-payroll workers in your calculations. These are known as deemed payments. They do not count towards the £100,000 threshold.

Check if de minimis state aid rules apply to you

If you make or sell goods or services, Employment Allowance counts as ‘de minimis state aid’. There’s a limit to how much de minimis state aid you can get.

You must:

check that you’re within the de minimis state aid threshold

work out how much de minimis state aid you’ve received

You must do this even if you do not make a profit.

You do not have to do this if you do not make or sell goods or services, for example you’re a charity, an amateur sports club or if you employ a care worker.

Check you’re within the de minimis state aid threshold

Employment Allowance counts towards the total de minimis state aid you’re allowed to get over a 3 year period.

You must make sure you will not exceed the de minimis state aid threshold for your sector.

De minimis state aid and the relevant thresholds are worked out in euros.

Sector | De minimis state aid threshold over 3 years

Agriculture products sector | €20,000

Fisheries and aquaculture sector | €30,000

Road freight transport sector | €100,000

Industrial sector  / other | €200,000

Work out how much de minimis state aid you’ve received

Check if you’ve received any de minimis state aid - if so, you should have been told in writing.

Add the total amount of de minimis state aid that you’ve received or been allocated for the current and past 2 tax years.

Add this to the full amount of Employment Allowance for the year you’re claiming for. You’ll need to convert this into euros using the exchange rate for the end of the previous tax year. If you’re claiming for 2020 to 2021, you’ll need to use the exchange rate on 30 March 2020: £1 to €1.1249.

If the total is below the threshold for your sector, you’re eligible to make a claim.

If you’re a connected company, the total de minimis state aid for all of the companies in the group must be below the de minimis state aid threshold for your sector.

The rules are different if your business covers more than one sector.

Who cannot claim Employment Allowance

You cannot claim if you’re a public body or business doing more than half your work in the public sector (such as local councils and NHS services) - unless you’re a charity.

You also cannot claim if both of the following apply:

you’re a company with only one employee paid above the Class 1 National Insurance secondary threshold

the employee is also a director of the company

Certain employees cannot be included in your claim, such as:

someone whose earnings are within IR35 ‘off-payroll working rules’

someone you employ for personal, household or domestic work (like a nanny or gardener) - unless they’re a care or support worker

How to claim

How you claim depends on whether you use your own payroll software or HMRC’s Basic PAYE tools.

If you use your own software

To claim through your payroll software, put ‘Yes’ in the ‘Employment Allowance indicator’ field next time you send an Employment Payment Summary (EPS) to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

If your payroll software does not have an Employment Payment Summary field, you can use Basic PAYE Tools.

Select your business sector under ‘de minimis state aid rules’

You must select the business sectors that apply to you, even if you do not make a profit.

Most businesses will need to select the ‘Industrial/other’ category, for example a hair salon or restaurant.

If you do not make or sell goods or services, choose ‘State aid rules do not apply’. For example if you’re a charity, an amateur sports club or if you employ a care worker.

If you use HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools

Select the correct name in the ‘Employer’ menu on the home page.

Select ‘Change employer details’.

Select ‘Yes’ in the ‘Employment Allowance indicator’ field.

Answer ‘Yes’ to the ‘Do state aid rules apply?’ question if you sell goods or services. Select the business sectors that apply to you. Otherwise, answer ‘No’ and select ‘State aid rules do not apply’.

Send your EPS as normal.

Stopping your claim

If you stop being eligible, select ‘No’ in the ‘Employment Allowance indicator’ field in your next EPS.

Do not select ‘No’ just because:

you’ve reached the £4,000 limit before the end of the tax year - this does not make you ineligible

you’re no longer employing anyone -  this allowance will stop at the end of the tax year

If you stop your claim before the end of the tax year (5 April), any allowance you’ve been given that year will be removed. You’ll have to pay any employers’ (secondary) Class 1 National Insurance due as a result.

When to claim

You need to claim Employment Allowance every tax year.

You can claim at any time in the tax year, but the earlier you claim the sooner you will get the allowance.

If you claim late and do not use your Employment Allowance against your employers’ Class 1 National Insurance liabilities, you’ll have to ask HMRC to do one of the following:

use any unclaimed allowance at the end of the year to pay any tax or National Insurance you owe (including VAT and Corporation Tax if you do not owe anything on your PAYE bill)

give you a refund after the end of the tax year if you do not owe anything

You can see how much Employment Allowance you’ve used in your HMRC online account.

Claiming for past years

You can claim Employment Allowance for the previous 4 tax years, dating back to the 2017 to 2018 tax year.

To claim for past years, it does not matter how much your employers’ Class 1 National Insurance liability was or how much de minimis state aid you received.

The thresholds for employers’ Class 1 National Insurance and de minimis state aid do not apply.

Employment allowance was £3,000 each year between April 2016 and April 2020.

Further information

Read ‘Claiming Employment Allowance: further employer guidance’ for more information.

After you've made a claim

You can begin using your Employment Allowance as soon you submit your claim.

HMRC will not send you a confirmation letter for your Employment Allowance.

If your claim is rejected, you will receive an automated message from HMRC within 5 working days.

You may need to tell HMRC if last year’s employers’ Class 1 National Insurance liabilities included deemed payments, taking you over the £100,000 threshold.

When your Employment Allowance counts as de minimis state aid

If you have selected a business sector in your claim, HMRC will send a letter stating that your Employment Allowance counts as de minimis state aid.

You must keep this letter as you may need it if you apply for other de minimis state aid.


I have a Charity Worker visa and currently live in the UK. I am looking to extend my stay from the original six months. For how long can I extend my visa?

You can apply to extend your Temporary Worker - Charity Worker visa (T5).

Temporary Worker - Charity Worker visa (T5)

Overview

You can apply for a Temporary Worker - Charity Worker visa (T5) if:

you want to do unpaid voluntary work for a charity

you meet the other eligibility requirements

This visa has replaced the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker - Charity Worker) visa.

If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

If you or your close family member started living in the UK before 1 January 2021, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.

Otherwise you need a visa to work in the UK.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Sponsorship

You must have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed employer before you can apply to come to the UK to work.

The work you do in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation.

How long it will take

The earliest you can apply for a visa is 3 months before the date you’re due to start work. This date is on your certificate of sponsorship.

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.

Find out about paying for a faster decision.

Application fee

The application fee for each person applying is £244.

The fee is the same whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.

If you’re from an eligible country

Your application fee will be automatically reduced by £55 if you’re from one of the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden or Turkey.

This reduction only applies to your visa application. Your partner and children will still need to pay the full application fee.

Healthcare surcharge

You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.

If you’re applying to extend in the UK

You’ll need to pay £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken.

Get a faster decision on your application

If you’re applying to extend from inside the UK you can pay an extra £500 for the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.

You can pay an extra £800 for the super priority service to get a decision:

by the end of the the next working day after your UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) appointment if your appointment is on a weekday

2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend

Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

How long you can stay

You can stay for up to 12 months or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

You can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job.

What you can and cannot do

You can:

study - for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate

work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship

do a second job in the same sector at the same level as your main job for up to 20 hours per week

do a job on the Skilled Worker shortage occupation list for up to 20 hours per week

bring your partner and children with you, if they’re eligible

You cannot:

receive any payment for work

take a permanent job

get public funds

Eligibility

To be eligible for a Temporary Worker - Charity Worker visa (T5) you need:

a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor

enough money to support yourself in the UK - you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt)

Certificate of sponsorship

A certificate of sponsorship is a unique reference number that holds information about the job you will do and your personal details. It is not a certificate or paper document.

Your sponsor will give you the certificate of sponsorship.

Your sponsor must also give you the information they used on your certificate about your job, for example your working hours.

Your sponsor must be recognised by the UK government to issue certificates of sponsorship.

Your certificate of sponsorship is valid for 3 months from the date it is assigned to you.

Multiple entry

Your sponsor can give you a multiple entry certificate of sponsorship so you can leave and return to the UK.

Money to support yourself

You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK.

You will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for this visa.

You’ll usually need to show proof of this when you apply, unless either:

you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months

your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270

Your partner and children will also need to prove they can support themselves while they’re in the UK. Check how much they’ll need.

Read the guidance on financial evidence for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.

If your employer can support you instead

Your certificate of sponsorship must confirm this. Your employer will need to complete the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate. This is under ‘Additional data’.

Documents you must provide

When you apply you’ll need to provide:

your certificate of sponsorship reference number - your employer will give you this

a valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality

evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK, for example bank statements (unless your certificate of sponsorship shows your employer can support you)

proof of your relationship with your partner or children if they’re applying with you

your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test

You need a blank page in your passport for your visa.

You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.

Read the guidance on documents you can provide.

You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.

Apply

Read the full guidance before you apply.

Apply from outside the UK

You must apply online for this visa.

You’ll need to have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre (to get a biometric residence permit) as part of your application.

You’ll have to collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of when you said you’d arrive in the UK.

Find out how to get your visa decision faster - this depends on what country you’re in. Check if your visa application centre offers faster decisions and other services.

Apply from inside the UK

You can only extend your existing visa if you’re already in the UK.

Extend your visa

You can apply to extend your Temporary Worker - Charity Worker visa (T5).

You should apply before your current visa expires.

Eligibility

You must continue to meet the eligibility rules.

You must be in the UK to extend your visa.

How long you can stay

You can apply to take your stay in the UK up to a maximum of 12 months, or the time on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

Fees

Check the fees for this visa.

How to extend your visa

You should read the full guidance before you apply.

You can apply online.

Your partner and children

You can add your partner and children to your online application - including children who have turned 18 during your stay.

Providing biometric information and supporting documents

When you apply, you’ll be asked to make an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your fingerprints and a photo).

You’ll also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:

upload them into the online service

have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment

You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.

How long it takes

A decision will be made within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service.

If you use the super priority service a decision will be made:

by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is on a weekday

2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend

Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:

your supporting documents need to be verified

you need to attend an interview

of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

Your partner and children

Your partner and children can apply to join you or to stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible. If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.

Your relationship

A dependant partner or child is any of the following:

your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner

your child under 18 - including if they were born in the UK during your stay

your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as your dependant

You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.

Your partner

You must be able to prove that either:

you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK

you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply

If your child is 16 or over

They must:

live with you (unless they’re in full-time education at boarding school, college or university)

not be married, in a civil partnership or have any children

be financially supported by you

If your child lives with you, you’ll need to provide evidence of their address such as:

a bank statement

credit card bills

driving licence

NHS registration document

an official letter from their university or college

Money they need to support themselves

Your partner or children must have a certain amount of money available to support themselves while they’re in the UK.

You - or your partner or child - will need:

£285 for your partner

£315 for one child

£200 for each additional child

You - or your partner or child - will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of you or them applying for this visa.

You’ll usually need to show proof of this when they apply, unless either:

you have all been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months

your employer can cover your family’s costs during your first month in the UK - this must be confirmed on your certificate of sponsorship

If your partner or child is applying at a different time to you, they’ll only need to prove they have enough money to support themselves if they have been in the UK for less than one year.

Apply from outside the UK

Your partner and children must apply online.

Each family member will need to complete a separate application and pay the visa fee. They must apply before they travel to the UK.

They’ll also need your application number - you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.

Proving their identity

As part of their application, your partner and children will need to have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre. They may need to travel to get to their nearest centre (this could be in another country).

The visa application centre may need to keep their passport and documents while they process their application.

How long it takes to get a decision

Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.

They may be able to pay to get their visa faster - check with the visa application centre.

Apply from inside the UK to extend

You can include your partner and children on your application to extend this visa. This includes children who were born or have turned 18 during your stay.

If you cannot apply at the same time, your partner or child can apply to extend their visas at a later date. This must be before their current visa expires.

How to apply

Your partner and children must apply online to either:

extend as a partner

extend as a child

They’ll need your application number - you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.

As part of their application, your partner and children will need to have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. Their application will be withdrawn if they do.

How long it takes to get a decision

Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.

They may be able to pay to get a faster decision - they’ll be told if they can when they apply.

Children born in the UK

If you have a child while you’re in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen.

You can apply online for their visa as your dependant. You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with your child.

You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.

You must apply to add them to your visa before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.

Overview

You can apply for a Temporary Worker - Charity Worker visa (T5) if:

you want to do unpaid voluntary work for a charity

you meet the other eligibility requirements

This visa has replaced the Tier 5 (Temporary Worker - Charity Worker) visa.

If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

Otherwise you need a visa to work in the UK.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Sponsorship

You must have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed employer before you can apply to come to the UK to work.

The work you do in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation.

How long it will take

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.

Find out about paying for a faster decision.

Application fee

The application fee for each person applying is £244.

The fee is the same whether you’re applying from inside or outside the UK.

If you’re from an eligible country

Your application fee will be automatically reduced by £55 if you’re from one of the following countries:

Healthcare surcharge

If you’re applying to extend in the UK

You’ll need to pay £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken.

Get a faster decision on your application

You can pay an extra £800 for the super priority service to get a decision:

2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend

Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

How long you can stay

You can stay for up to 12 months or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

You can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job.

What you can and cannot do

You can:

study - for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate

work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship

do a second job in the same sector at the same level as your main job for up to 20 hours per week

do a job on the Skilled Worker shortage occupation list for up to 20 hours per week

bring your partner and children with you, if they’re eligible

You cannot:

receive any payment for work

take a permanent job

get public funds

Eligibility

To be eligible for a Temporary Worker - Charity Worker visa (T5) you need:

a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor

enough money to support yourself in the UK - you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt)

Certificate of sponsorship

Your sponsor will give you the certificate of sponsorship.

Your sponsor must also give you the information they used on your certificate about your job, for example your working hours.

Your sponsor must be recognised by the UK government to issue certificates of sponsorship.

Your certificate of sponsorship is valid for 3 months from the date it is assigned to you.

Multiple entry

Your sponsor can give you a multiple entry certificate of sponsorship so you can leave and return to the UK.

Money to support yourself

You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK.

You’ll usually need to show proof of this when you apply, unless either:

you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months

your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270

Read the guidance on financial evidence for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.

If your employer can support you instead

Documents you must provide

When you apply you’ll need to provide:

your certificate of sponsorship reference number - your employer will give you this

a valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality

proof of your relationship with your partner or children if they’re applying with you

your tuberculosis (TB) test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test

You need a blank page in your passport for your visa.

You’ll need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh.

Read the guidance on documents you can provide.

You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances.

Apply

Read the full guidance before you apply.

Apply from outside the UK

You must apply online for this visa.

You’ll have to collect your biometric residence permit within 10 days of when you said you’d arrive in the UK.

Apply from inside the UK

You can only extend your existing visa if you’re already in the UK.

Extend your visa

You can apply to extend your Temporary Worker - Charity Worker visa (T5).

You should apply before your current visa expires.

Eligibility

You must continue to meet the eligibility rules.

You must be in the UK to extend your visa.

How long you can stay

Fees

Check the fees for this visa.

How to extend your visa

You should read the full guidance before you apply.

You can apply online.

Your partner and children

You can add your partner and children to your online application - including children who have turned 18 during your stay.

Providing biometric information and supporting documents

You’ll also need to submit your supporting documents. You can:

upload them into the online service

have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment

How long it takes

A decision will be made within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service.

If you use the super priority service a decision will be made:

by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is on a weekday

2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend

Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.

You’ll be contacted if your application is complex and will take longer, for example because:

your supporting documents need to be verified

you need to attend an interview

of your personal circumstances (for example if you have a criminal conviction)

Your partner and children

Your relationship

A dependant partner or child is any of the following:

your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner

your child under 18 - including if they were born in the UK during your stay

your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as your dependant

You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.

Your partner

You must be able to prove that either:

you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK

you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply

If your child is 16 or over

They must:

live with you (unless they’re in full-time education at boarding school, college or university)

not be married, in a civil partnership or have any children

be financially supported by you

If your child lives with you, you’ll need to provide evidence of their address such as:

a bank statement

credit card bills

driving licence

NHS registration document

an official letter from their university or college

Money they need to support themselves

Your partner or children must have a certain amount of money available to support themselves while they’re in the UK.

You - or your partner or child - will need:

£285 for your partner

£315 for one child

£200 for each additional child

You’ll usually need to show proof of this when they apply, unless either:

you have all been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months

Apply from outside the UK

Your partner and children must apply online.

Proving their identity

The visa application centre may need to keep their passport and documents while they process their application.

How long it takes to get a decision

They may be able to pay to get their visa faster - check with the visa application centre.

Apply from inside the UK to extend

How to apply

Your partner and children must apply online to either:

extend as a partner

extend as a child

How long it takes to get a decision

Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.

They may be able to pay to get a faster decision - they’ll be told if they can when they apply.

Children born in the UK

If you have a child while you’re in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen.

You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.

You must apply to add them to your visa before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.


I am 64, live in Wales and since May 2013 have been the Personal Welfare Deputy for my mother, who has advanced dementia. I believe I was overcharged both for the initial assessment and for annual supervisions in subsequent years. Do I need to make a claim to receive a refund, or is this automatic?

If you’re a deputy acting under a current court order, you do not need to apply for a refund. Any overcharged fees will be refunded automatically.

Claim a deputyship fee refund

Overview

You might be eligible for a refund if you were overcharged deputyship fees by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) for England and Wales.

The refunds are only for deputyship assessments and annual supervisions which took place between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2015.

This page is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

To find out if you’re owed any money and how much you’ll get, you’ll need to make a claim to the OPG.

The deadline for refund claims is 4 October 2022.

What you’ll get

How much you get will depend on:

how much you paid and at what rate

how long you paid for

whether you have unpaid fees

Most refunds will be less than £200. You’ll also get 0.5% interest.

Who can claim

You can make a claim if you:

had a deputy previously

are acting on behalf of someone who had a deputy and has died

The deputyship must have been active between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2015.

If you’re still acting as a deputy, you do not need to apply. Any overcharged fees will be refunded automatically.

If you had a deputy previously

If you had a deputy but you now make your own decisions, you can apply for a refund.

You can also ask your property and financial affairs attorney to make a claim on your behalf.

If you’re acting on behalf of someone who has died

If the person who used to have a deputy (the ‘client’) has died, the executor of the will must claim the refund.

If there is no executor, an administrator of the estate can apply.

If there is no estate administrator, a family member can apply.

What you do with the refund

Any refund received should be divided between the beneficiaries of the client’s estate.

If the client’s estate has already been settled, you can get help from Citizens Advice or a solicitor to make sure you comply with the law.

What you'll need to claim

To claim, you’ll need details of the person who had a deputy (the ‘client’). This includes their:

name

date of birth

address when the deputyship ended

date of death (if relevant)

You’ll also need to provide details of the bank account you’d like the refund to be paid in to (if you do not want to be refunded by cheque).

Documents you’ll need to provide

You’ll need to send proof of your:

name

address

right to apply (if you’re not the client)

You can send scanned and photocopied documents.

You can also send original documents. They will be returned to you by post.

You need to send a different piece of evidence for each type of proof.

Proof of your name

This can be:

current signed passport (copy of the page showing your name and photograph)

original birth or adoption certificate

current UK or EEA photocard driver’s licence (not provisional licence)

full old-style driving licence

EEA member state identity card or national identity photo card

benefit book or original notification letter from the benefits agency

Proof of your address

This can be:

utility bill (not a mobile phone bill) from the last 12 months

current council tax bill

bank, building society or credit union statement or passbook dated within the last 3 months

original mortgage statement issued for the last full year

council or housing association or rent card or tenancy agreement for the current year

Proof of your right to apply

Include a copy of:

grant of probate (executors)

letters of administration (administrators)

death certificate (family members)

If you’re a property and financial affairs attorney, you’ll need to provide the lasting power of attorney reference number.

How to claim

You will need to complete a form and send it with your evidence.

Claim by email

Send the form and evidence as email attachments to:

DeputyshipFeeRefunds@justice.gov.uk

You’ll need to attach scanned copies or clear photographs of original documents. The email size limit is 10MB but you can send more than one email.

Write ‘Deputyship fee refund application’ as the email subject.

Claim by post

Post the form and your evidence to:

Claim by phone

If you cannot claim by email or fill in the form yourself, contact the helpline. You’ll still need to send evidence.

After you've claimed

You’ll be told by email or letter:

when your application has been received

if any information is missing

whether your claim is successful

the refund amount and when it’ll be paid

the reasons for any rejection

When you’ll get the refund

It can take up to 10 weeks to get a decision and a further 2 weeks to receive the refund.

If your claim is rejected

You can appeal by contacting the Refunds Helpline.

Claim a deputyship fee refund

Overview

This page is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

The deadline for refund claims is 4 October 2022.

What you’ll get

How much you get will depend on:

how much you paid and at what rate

how long you paid for

whether you have unpaid fees

Who can claim

You can make a claim if you:

had a deputy previously

If you had a deputy previously

If you’re acting on behalf of someone who has died

What you do with the refund

What you'll need to claim

name

date of birth

address when the deputyship ended

date of death (if relevant)

Documents you’ll need to provide

You’ll need to send proof of your:

name

address

right to apply (if you’re not the client)

You can send scanned and photocopied documents.

Proof of your name

This can be:

original birth or adoption certificate

full old-style driving licence

Proof of your address

This can be:

current council tax bill

original mortgage statement issued for the last full year

Proof of your right to apply

Include a copy of:

grant of probate (executors)

letters of administration (administrators)

death certificate (family members)

How to claim

Claim by email

Send the form and evidence as email attachments to:

DeputyshipFeeRefunds@justice.gov.uk

Claim by post

Post the form and your evidence to:

Claim by phone

After you've claimed

You’ll be told by email or letter:

when your application has been received

if any information is missing

whether your claim is successful

the refund amount and when it’ll be paid

the reasons for any rejection

When you’ll get the refund

If your claim is rejected

You can appeal by contacting the Refunds Helpline.