I keep being asked this one and I don't think there's an answer but just in case....
Maintenance undertaking ends before 5 years up eg through relationship breakdown/ insufficient funds.
Given that it really is a "benefit related" maintenance undertaking, and given that there is no other over-riding immigration status such as Indefinite leave to remain or family reunion rules, is there any way at all the previously sponsored person can claim benefits? Failing that is there anything other than social services assistance which from what I've read is only applicable in extreme cases eg destitution ??? thanks

The only exception in the Regulations is the death of the sponsor. I would also be concerned that now that the maintenance has ceased, such a person is unlikely to have any continuing right to stay in the UK as the leave was conditional only on maintenance and there must be a high risk of the Home Office deciding they are an overstayer and sending them "home". There are links between DWP and IND, and there will have been a condition of no recourse to public funds attached tot he leave to enter. This means that anything that looks like an application for public funds, unless covered by the exception, is a breach of the immigration rules and hence trouble in its own right.

thanks for this- very clear.