New rules to crack down on benefit payments to migrants
TOUGH new rules to stop migrants sponging off British taxpayers come into force today in a fresh crackdown on benefit tourists.
Immigrants now face a more robust test if they want to claim income-related benefits.
This will ensure only migrants who have a legal right to be in the UK and plan to contribute to this country can make a benefits claim.
The measure, which comes just two weeks before an expected influx of Romanian and Bulgarian migrants, is being rolled out to Jobcentres across England, Scotland and Wales.
In order to pass the new Habitual Residence Test migrants will have to answer more individually tailored questions, provide more detailed answers and submit more evidence. Only then can they make a claim.
For the first time migrants will be quizzed about what efforts they have made to find work before coming to the UK and whether their English language skills will be a barrier to them finding employment.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith said: “It is vitally important that we have strict rules in place to protect the integrity of our benefits system.
“The British public are rightly concerned that migrants should contribute to this country, and not be drawn here by the attractiveness of our benefits system. And we are taking action to ensure that that is the case.
“The roll-out of the new Habitual Residence Test is the first in a series of measures to ensure that we have a fair system: one which provides support for genuine workers and job seekers, but does not allow people to come to our country and take advantage.
“It is a crucial part of our long-term plan to secure Britain’s economy.”
Migrants are only entitled to claim benefits if they can prove they are allowed to be here and have sufficient ties to this country to show they are “habitually resident”. The improved test has 100 more questions available, while a new IT system will ensure the questions asked are tailored to each individual claimant and their personal circumstances.
Migrants wanting to claim benefits will have to provide more comprehensive evidence, including what measures they have taken to establish themselves in the UK.
They will also have to provide more evidence that they are doing everything they can to find a job.
Sir Andrew Green of think-tank MigrationWatch UK said: “We welcome these efforts to protect access to benefits.
“However, the Government needs to go further and renegotiate with the EU so that the UK can be free to set rules that suit British circumstances.”
