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Guidance

Decision makers’ guide: Vol 2: International subjects: staff guide

Guidance for DWP decision makers on decision making and appeals.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published:
1 June 2013
Last updated:
24 September 2026
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  1. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779] and also DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes from November 2020.

  2. Updated DMG Volume 2 Chapter 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA. The changes are listed in the updated DMG Volume 2 summary of changes from November 2020.

  3. Updated DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes from November 2020.

  4. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 1, DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2, DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3 and DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes

  5. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779] and also DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes from November 2020.

  6. Replaced PDF 'DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779]' with a new version. Replaced DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes from November 2020 with a new version

  7. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases and ESA; DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 4: Incapacity Benefit to Industrial Injuries Benefit; and summary of changes documents.

  8. DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3 and DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes from November 2020 updated.

  9. Updated: 'DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769]' and 'DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779]' and Summary of changes.

  10. DMG Chapter 07 - Part 02: AA, DLA, CA, Dependency Increases, and ESA document has been updated. Rolling summary of changes from November 2020 also updated.

  11. Updated DMG Volume 2, Chapter 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA with new revision.

  12. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779]

  13. Updated

  14. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779]

  15. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779] and Summary of changes from November 2020 - December 2023.

  16. Updated "DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA " to remove references to "DMG Memo 10/23: Competing Competency and the AH Judgement" which has also been removed as it requires some updates to the content.

  17. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779] and Summary of changes from November 2020 - December 2023.

  18. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 1: Common subjects [070000 to 070699], DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769] and DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  19. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769].

  20. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769].

  21. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769] and DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  22. Updated 'DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA' to remove annotation to memo 12/20 at para 071726. Memo 12/20 has now been removed because it has been included in the main DMG guidance.

  23. Published a new version of DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 6: SDA, SPC, WB/Bereavement Benefit and Winter Fuel Payments. This removes mention of some old DMG Memos, which have now been removed.

  24. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 6: SDA, SPC, WB/Bereavement Benefit and Winter Fuel Payments, 076960 to 078059 and also DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes from November 2020.

  25. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769] and also DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes from November 2020.

  26. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769] and DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  27. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769] and added Summary of changes from November 2020 to December 2022.

  28. Updated DMG volume 2, chapter 7, part 3: habitual residence and right to reside and added summary of changes.

  29. Revised DMG volume 2, chapter 7, part 2 and added summary of changes.

  30. Updated DMG volume 2: chapter 7 part 2, and Volume 2 rolling summary of changes from November 2020

  31. Updated DMG Chapter 7, part 2 - AA, DLA, CA, Dependency Increases, and ESA

  32. Updated DMG volume 2 chapter 7 part 2: AA, DLA, CA, Dependency Increases, and ESA (see Part 6 for Bereavement and Widow’s and added summary of changes.

  33. Updated DMG volume 2 chapter 7 part 2: International subjects and summary of changes.

  34. Updated DMG volume 2, chapter 7, part 2: international subjects - AA, DLA, CA, Dependency Increases, and ESA (see Part 6 for Bereavement and Widow’s and summary of changes.

  35. Updated DMG Vol 2 Chapter 7 Part 2: AA, DLA, CA, Dependency Increases, and ESA (see Part 6 for Bereavement and Widow’s) [071700 to 072769] and DMG Vol 2 Chapter 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  36. Updated DMG chapter 7 part 2: AA, DLA, CA, Dependency Increases, and ESA (see Part 6 for Bereavement and Widow’s) 071700 - 072769.

  37. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  38. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  39. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2 and DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3.

  40. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2 and DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3.

  41. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769].

  42. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 6 and DMG Volume 2 summary of changes.

  43. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2 and DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3.

  44. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  45. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  46. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  47. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3 and DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes from November 2020.

  48. Updated chapter 7 part 6 and added 'DMG Vol 2: Amendment 43, November 2020'.

  49. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779].

  50. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3.

  51. Updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2.

  52. Updated 'DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769]'. Now refers to DMG memo 12/20.

  53. Revised DMG volume 2, chapter 7, part 2: Dependency Increases, and ESA (see Part 6 for Bereavement/Widow’s Benefits), annotated to DMG memo 3/20.

  54. Updated DMG volume 2, chapter 7, part 3. Amendments listed in summary of changes, February 2020.

  55. Added revised DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [071180 to 071379] following the addition of new DMG memo 17/19.

  56. Added revised DMG volume 2 chapter 7, part 2: AA/DLA/CA, Dependency Increases, and ESA (see Part 6 for Bereavement/Widow’s Benefits).

  57. Added updated DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [071180 to 071379] following the addition of new DMG memo 11/19.

  58. Updated Chapter 7, Part 6 'Severe Disablement Allowance, SPC, Widow's Benefit/Bereavement Benefit and Winter Fuel Payments'. The amendments remove references to 'links to the social security system' for Winter Fuel Payments and the ‘genuine and sufficient link’. This follows recent case law at the Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal.

  59. Added revised 'DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 1: Common subjects [070000 to 070899]', 'DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases [070900 to 071179]' and 'DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [071180 to 071379]' and added associated amendment note 'DMG Vol 2: Amendment 41, June 2019'.

  60. Updated Volume 2, part 2 - AA/DLA/CA, Dependency Increases, and ESA.

  61. Replaced Chapter 7 Part 3 'Habitual residence & right to reside - IS/JSA/SPC/ESA'. The updated version has annotations to DMG Memo 2/16 'Right to reside – IS, JSA(IB), ESA(IR) & SPC – Effect of Upper Tribunal Decision'

  62. Added revised DMG volume 2 chapter 7 parts 1, 2 and 6 and amendment 40, which lists the amendments.

  63. Added revised DMG volume 2 chapter 7 part 3 and amendment 39, which lists the amendments.

  64. Added revised DMG volume 2 chapter 7 parts 1, 2, 6 and amendment 38, which lists the amendments.

  65. Added revised DMG volume 2, chapter 7, parts 2 and 6. Annotated to DMG memo 16/17.

  66. Added revised volume 2 chapters 701 and 706, annotated to DMG memo 15/17.

  67. Added revised DMG volume 2 chapter 7 parts 3, 6 and amendment 37, which lists the amendments. Also deleted out of date amendments 31 and 32.

  68. Added revised volume 2 chapter 7 parts 2, 3 and amendment 36, which lists the amendments.

  69. Added revised volume 2 chapter 7 parts 1 and 4, annotated to DMG memo 1/17.

  70. Replaced Chapter 7 Part 3 annotated with new memo 22/16.

  71. Added revised volume 2 chapter 7 part 3. The amendments are listed in amendment 35.

  72. Replaced Chapter 7 Part 2 annotated with new memo 20/16.

  73. Revised DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 6: SDA, SPC, WB/Bereavement Benefit and Winter Fuel Payments [072960 to 073259] - annotated to DMG memo 18/16.

  74. Added revised chapter 7 parts 1, 2, 3 and 6. The amendments to these parts are listed in amendment 34.

  75. Published revised amendment 33 - page 2 - amended abbreviations and statute abbreviations.

  76. Added revised DMG chapter 7 part 3 and amendment 33, which lists the amendments.

  77. Revised DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC - annotated to DMG memo 6/16 and DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 5: JSA to Retirement Pension - annotated to DMG memo 6/16.

  78. Replaced vol 2, chapter 7, part 3 with revised version - added paragraph 073260.

  79. Replaced volume 2, chapter 7, part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases - annotated with reference to memo 1/16.

  80. Replaced Chapter 7 Part 2 annotated with new memos 26 and 27/15.

  81. Added revised chapter 7 parts 1 and 3. The amendments to these parts are listed in amendment 32.

  82. Added revised chapter 7 parts 3 and 6. The amendments to these parts are listed in amendment 31.

  83. Replaced chapter 0703 annotated with new memo 18/15.

  84. Replaced chapter 0703 annotated with new memo 16/15.

  85. Added revised chapter 7 parts 1, 3 and amendment 30. The amendments to these parts are listed in amendment 30.

  86. Replaced ch 0703 annotated with new memos 1 and 2/15.

  87. Amended annex 3, Incapacity Benefit 7.2. references from DMG 071439 to DMG 073839 and DMG 071421 to DMG 073821.

  88. Amended chapter 0703 from: 'Therefore the changes only affect claims made, or treated as made, on or after 1.1.14'. To: 'Transitional provisions provide that any period of duly recorded involuntary unemployment or any period during which a person is a jobseeker, prior to 1.1.14, should be disregarded'.

  89. Added revised annex 3 and new amendment 29.

  90. Replaced chapters 0701 to 0707 with revised versions - renumbered and annotated to memos 25 and 31/14.

  91. Added amendment 28 giving changes to chapter 7 part 3.

  92. Replaced DMG ch0703 with revised version with amendment to regs relating to same sex couples and annotated to DMG memos 15/14, 1/14 and 28/13.

  93. Added revised chapter 7 parts 1 to 6. The amendments to these parts are listed in amendment 27 - also added.

  94. Added revised ch 7 part 3 - annotated to DMG memo 1/14 - JSA(IB) - right to reside - establishing whether an EEA national is/was a 'worker' or a 'self-employed person'.

  95. Added revised ch 7 part 3 with annotations to DMG memo 28/13 - 3 months residence requirement.

  96. Chapter 7 part 3 – added reference to DMG memo 27/13 – Nationals – ending of restriction on right to reside

  97. Amended - DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 1: Common subjects [070000 to 070899] and added amendment 26 - To clarify the position about the status of family members who come to the UK to join a person with refugee status.

  98. First published.

Documents

DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 1: Common subjects [070000 to 070699]

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 1

PDF, 625 KB, 165 pages

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DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2: AA, DLA and CA to dependency increases, and ESA [071700 to 072769]

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 2

PDF, 431 KB, 95 pages

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DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3: Habitual residence and right to reside IS, JSA and SPC [072770 to 073779]

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 3

PDF, 736 KB, 153 pages

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DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 4: Incapacity Benefit to Industrial Injuries Benefit [073780 to 075329]

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 4

PDF, 471 KB, 116 pages

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DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 5: JSA to Retirement Pension [075330 to 076959]

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 5

PDF, 475 KB, 175 pages

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DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 6: SDA, SPC, WB/Bereavement Benefit and Winter Fuel Payments [076960 to 078059]

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 6

PDF, 325 KB, 66 pages

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DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 7: Offshore workers and Her Majesty's forces [078060 to 079999]

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Ch 7 Part 7

PDF, 101 KB, 22 pages

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DMG Vol 2 Annex 1: Retirement Pension frozen rates before 1 October 1989

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Annex 1

PDF, 50.9 KB, 20 pages

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DMG Vol 2 Annex 2: Widow's Benefit frozen rates before 1 October 1989

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Annex 2

PDF, 15.8 KB, 4 pages

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DMG Vol 2 Annex 3: Transitional provisions following the termination of the Australia/UK reciprocal agreement

Ref: DMG Vol 2 Annex 3

PDF, 25.1 KB, 4 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Summary of changes from November 2020

PDF, 254 KB, 4 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 42, February 2020

PDF, 114 KB, 1 page

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 41, June 2019

Ref: DMG Vol 2 amendment 41

PDF, 365 KB, 84 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 40, June 2018

PDF, 3.6 MB, 40 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 39, February 2018

PDF, 353 KB, 38 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 38, October 2017

PDF, 670 KB, 32 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 37, June 2017

PDF, 355 KB, 110 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 36, February 2017

Ref: DMG Vol 2 amendment 36

PDF, 523 KB, 126 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 35, October 2016

PDF, 1.18 MB, 82 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 34, June 2016

Ref: DMG Vol 2 amendment 34

PDF, 364 KB, 98 pages

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DMG Vol 2: Amendment 33, February 2016

Ref: DMG Vol 2 amendment 33

PDF, 106 KB, 14 pages

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Details

This guidance is for DWP staff who make decisions about benefits and pensions. It helps them make decisions that are accurate and consistent.

The introduction of Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment affects the guidance DWP staff use.

DWP decision makers now use Advice for decision making (instead of the DMG) for decisions that involve:

Why we publish this guide

We publish this guide to help people understand how we make decisions.

Information for claimants

Information for claimants about eligibility and how to claim:

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