Meet Greg Phillips
My name is Greg Phillips, and I founded Reginald Barry Benefits Support after witnessing first-hand how many British people living in Spain were completely unaware of the benefits they were still legally entitled to. Friends, family friends, and members of the expat community I'd come to know — people who had worked hard all their lives, paid into the UK system for decades, and moved to Spain to enjoy their retirement — were simply not receiving what was rightfully theirs.
What struck me most was that the barrier wasn't eligibility — it was awareness and complexity. The rules around pre-Brexit Withdrawal Agreement entitlements are genuinely difficult to navigate. The DWP forms are lengthy and unintuitive, and the people who need help most are often the least equipped to deal with bureaucratic processes from abroad. Many had never even heard of Attendance Allowance, let alone known they could claim it.
I set up Reginald Barry to fix that. We handle everything — from the first eligibility conversation to the final submission — so our clients never have to battle the paperwork themselves. Our no-win-no-fee model means there's absolutely no financial risk in reaching out, and every penny of our fee comes from the backdated payment our clients receive.
This is personal to me. Every successful claim means a real person — someone who has earned this — receiving financial support that genuinely makes a difference to their daily life. That's what drives everything we do.
Our Specialism — Pre-Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Benefits
When the UK left the European Union on 31 December 2020, many British nationals living in EU countries worried they would lose access to their UK benefits. For most benefits, those concerns were valid — but not for all of them.
Under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, British nationals who were living in an EU country before the Brexit transition ended retain specific rights — including the right to claim certain UK disability and care benefits, even while living abroad.
The most important of these is Attendance Allowance — a tax-free, non-means-tested benefit worth up to £5,959 per year for people aged 65 or over who need help with personal care or supervision due to illness or disability.
The key requirement: You must have established your EU residency before 31 December 2020 to be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. If you moved to Spain (or another EU country) after that date, different rules apply and we will advise you accordingly.
This is a complex and often misunderstood area of benefit law. Many solicitors, financial advisers and even Citizens Advice advisers are not familiar with the specific exportability rules that apply to pre-Brexit expats. It is our entire focus.
How We Work
We handle the entire process on your behalf — from your first eligibility check through to submitting your application to the DWP and chasing the decision. You do not need to deal with complex forms, DWP phone lines, or bureaucratic correspondence. We do all of that for you.
Here is what the process looks like:
- Step 1 — Free eligibility check: We assess whether you meet the basic criteria for Attendance Allowance or other benefits. This is completely free and takes around 10-15 minutes by phone or message.
- Step 2 — You sign our Letter of Authority: This authorises us to act on your behalf with the DWP. It is signed electronically and takes 2 minutes.
- Step 3 — We gather your information: We speak with you in detail about your health conditions and how they affect your daily life. We know what the DWP needs to hear and how to present your case in the strongest possible way.
- Step 4 — We complete and submit your application: We handle the paperwork entirely. You sign the declaration and we submit everything to the DWP.
- Step 5 — We chase the decision: We follow up with the DWP regularly and keep you updated. Most claims take 8-12 weeks.
- Step 6 — You receive your award: If successful, you receive backdated payments from your application date, plus ongoing weekly payments.
Our Fee
£395One-off, fixed fee — payable only on a successful award
No win. No fee. Nothing to pay upfront.
Our fee is designed to be paid from your backdated payment — so in most cases, you receive your award, pay our fee from that, and then continue receiving your weekly benefit payments at no further cost.
Why Not Just Use Citizens Advice?
That is a fair question and we respect it. Citizens Advice provides a valuable free service, and we would never discourage anyone from seeking free guidance.
However, there are three reasons why our clients choose to use us instead:
- Specialisation: The Withdrawal Agreement exportability rules are a very specific and complex area. Most general benefits advisers — including many Citizens Advice volunteers — are not familiar with the rules that apply specifically to pre-Brexit British expats in EU countries. We deal with nothing else.
- End-to-end service: Citizens Advice will give you information and guidance, but they will not complete your application for you, liaise with the DWP on your behalf, or chase your claim. We do all of that.
- Quality of application: How the Attendance Allowance form is completed makes an enormous difference to both the outcome and the rate awarded. We know exactly what the DWP is looking for and how to describe your needs in the most effective way. A poorly completed form is the most common reason for lower awards or unnecessary rejections.
If you would prefer to try Citizens Advice first, we fully support that. Our door is open if you decide you would like specialist help.
Ready to find out what you're entitled to?
Free eligibility check — no obligation, no upfront cost, no complicated forms to fill in yourself.
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