UK to cut benefits for EU migrants

Westminster.Photo: wikipedia

His announcement in an article written for the conservative newspaper The Daily Telegraph follows his suggestion in January that some Polish parents were taking advantage of the UK benefit system.

Cameron has now pledged that his government will be “making sure people come [to the UK] for the right reasons – which has meant addressing the magnetic pull of Britain’s benefits system.

“We changed the rules so that no one can come to this country and expect to get out-of-work benefits immediately; they must wait at least three months.

"It used to be that European arrivals could claim Jobseeker’s Allowance or child benefit for a maximum of six months before their benefits would be cut off, unless they had very clear job prospects.

“We will be reducing that cut-off point to three months, saying very clearly: you cannot expect to come to Britain and get something for nothing.”

Poles are the largest group of EU migrants in the UK, and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has accused Cameron in the past of stigmatising Polish workers.

Likewise, Poland's ambassador to the UK said in January that Poles come to the UK “to work hard, not to abuse the system or grab the benefits.”

Eurosceptic party the The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) won the largest share of the vote in the EU elections this May, causing a shock to Britain's mainstream parties. Although UKIP has no seats at present in the UK parliament, its manifesto dwelt on eastern european migrants, although it directed its ire chiefly at Romanian citizens. (nh)