Petition · past parliament · Home Office

Allow widowed/single parents of British Citizens to live in the UK as dependants

Closed 1,103 signatures

What the petition asks

Allow widowed/single parents of British Citizens leave to enter the UK as an adult dependant; as long as the British child is ordinarily resident in the UK, able to support him/her financially and with suitable accommodation, without recourse to public funds.
British Citizens are only able to sponsor a parent who requires long-term personal care due to illness, disability or age, amongst other criteria. For British Citizens (claimed through Ancestry or Descent), these rules can be traumatic, particularly if their parent is split from his/her children and left alone in another country.

Path to citizenship: Yes, 5 year route
Right to work: Yes, although not required for settlement. Financial requirement in the absence of work
Pay NHS surcharge: Yes

Timeline

7 May 2021 Petition opened for signatures
7 Nov 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 1,103
Status Closed
Department Home Office
Opened 7 May 2021
Closed 7 Nov 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.