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David Cameron 'to curb benefits for European migrants' David Cameron 'to toughen' European migrants' benefits rules
(about 1 hour later)
Immigrants who claim unemployment benefits in the UK will face tougher rules in future, says David Cameron. Europeans will have to prove they are "genuinely seeking employment" to claim UK jobless benefits for more than six months, David Cameron has said.
Migrants will lose benefits after six months, unless they "have a genuine chance of finding work", the prime minister wrote in the Sun. The prime minister said it was among measures to ensure people came to the UK "for the right reasons" after the UK became a "soft touch" under Labour.
Britain had become a "soft touch" under Labour and the measures were to ensure "everyone who comes here pays their way and gives something back", he said. He also announced private landlords would face fines if their tenants were found to be illegal immigrants.
Labour warned against overblown rhetoric and failings in the system.Labour warned against overblown rhetoric and failings in the system.
Downing Street says migrants from the European Economic Area - the EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - currently had to show they had a "reasonable chance" of finding a job to receive unemployment benefit for more than six months. Migrants from the European Economic Area - the EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - currently have to show they have a "reasonable chance" of finding a job to receive unemployment benefit for more than six months.
The prime minister's official spokesman said they would now face a more rigorous test to assess whether they had a "realistic prospect" of getting a job. Downing Street said they would now face a more rigorous test to assess whether they had a "realistic prospect" of getting a job, with the ability to speak English one of the criteria.
It is not clear exactly what precise rule changes are being proposed, but No 10 says the ability to speak English is set to be one of the criteria. 'Mainstream'
Restrictions ending In his speech in Ipswich, the prime minister said there were "concerns, deeply held, that some people might be able to come and take advantage of our generosity without making a proper contribution to our country".
"These concerns are not just legitimate; they are right and it is a fundamental duty of every mainstream politician to address them."
No 10 was unable to give any figures on the scale, cost and numbers of so-called benefit tourists, although DWP figures suggest 17% of working-age UK nationals claim a benefit, compared with 7% of working age non-UK nationals.No 10 was unable to give any figures on the scale, cost and numbers of so-called benefit tourists, although DWP figures suggest 17% of working-age UK nationals claim a benefit, compared with 7% of working age non-UK nationals.
In the article published ahead of a speech on Monday, Mr Cameron wrote: "There's been a lot said about Bulgarians and Romanians coming over next year.
"We benefit from new countries joining the EU: they'll buy more things from us and jobs will be created. But as a government we should make sure that people come here for the right reasons."
Restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians working in the UK are due to be relaxed next year.Restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians working in the UK are due to be relaxed next year.
The countries joined the European Union in 2007, but under "transitional arrangements" their populations faced limits on their rights to work in the UK.The countries joined the European Union in 2007, but under "transitional arrangements" their populations faced limits on their rights to work in the UK.
Since 2007, Bulgarians and Romanians have been able to come to the UK to live and have been able to take jobs either via a work permit system, or by being self-employed, or in variety of jobs from domestic work to seasonal agriculture. Since 2007, Bulgarians and Romanians have been able to come to the UK to live and have been able to take jobs either via a work permit system, or by being self-employed, or in a variety of jobs from domestic work to seasonal agriculture.
According to the Office for National Statistics, in July 2012 there were 94,000 Romanians and 47,000 Bulgarians resident in the UK According to the Office for National Statistics, in July 2012 there were 94,000 Romanians and 47,000 Bulgarians resident in the UK.
The end of existing controls will give Bulgarian and Romanians who want to work in the UK the same rights for welfare and NHS care as foreign nationals from the other 24 EU nations.The end of existing controls will give Bulgarian and Romanians who want to work in the UK the same rights for welfare and NHS care as foreign nationals from the other 24 EU nations.
Mr Cameron also said changes to health care would be introduced. Mr Cameron said: "We can't stop these full transitional controls coming to an end. But what we can do, is make sure that those who come here from the EU - or further afield - do so for the right reasons: that they come here because they want to contribute to our country, not because they are drawn by the attractiveness of our benefits system, or by the opportunity to use our public services."
"Currently people from the EU can get free treatment on the NHS. Under our plans, if you use our hospitals but don't pay our taxes we will go after the costs in your home country." The prime minister added: "Under the last government immigration in this country was too high and out of control. Put simply, Britain was a soft touch."
Other details about his speech were released on Sunday, including restrictions on immigrant families wanting social housing. He said immigrants in future would be "subject to full conditionality and work search requirements and you will have to show you are genuinely seeking employment - if you fail that test, you will lose your benefit.
They will be kept off council house waiting lists in England for at least two years, under plans for councils to introduce a residency test. "And as a migrant, we're only going to give you six months to be a jobseeker. After that benefits will be cut off unless you really can prove not just that you are genuinely seeking employment but also that you have a genuine chance of getting a job.
Housing concerns "We're going to make that assessment a real and robust one and, yes, it's going to include whether your ability to speak English is a barrier to work."
'Very concerned'
Mr Cameron said changes to health care would be introduced, with the UK getting "better" at "reciprocal charging", charging foreign governments for treatment provided to non-working overseas nationals.
Immigrants would be kept off council house waiting lists in England for at least two years, under plans for councils to introduce a residency test.
Local authorities can already set their own criteria, but many do not.Local authorities can already set their own criteria, but many do not.
The Local Government Association said it was "very concerned", and councils should decide how to meet housing need. Mr Cameron said: "We can not have a culture of something for nothing. New migrants should not expect to be given a home on arrival."
Councillor Mike Jones, chair of the LGA's environment and housing board, said: "Local authorities have their own policies in place for managing applications for housing which are based on the pressures facing the local community and many councils already seek to prioritise people with a local connection." But the Local Government Association said it was "very concerned", and councils should decide how to meet housing need.
Councillor Mike Jones, chairman of the LGA's environment and housing board, said: "Local authorities have their own policies in place for managing applications for housing which are based on the pressures facing the local community and many councils already seek to prioritise people with a local connection."
Jonathan Portes, director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, told the BBC that people "coming from outside the UK, and especially people coming from outside the European Union, are significantly less likely than British nationals, and people born here, to claim benefits".Jonathan Portes, director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, told the BBC that people "coming from outside the UK, and especially people coming from outside the European Union, are significantly less likely than British nationals, and people born here, to claim benefits".
He added that the issue of "people coming from outside the UK in order to sponge off our health service may be a problem, and we should certainly deal with abuse, but the figures tell us that they impose rather small costs on the health service".He added that the issue of "people coming from outside the UK in order to sponge off our health service may be a problem, and we should certainly deal with abuse, but the figures tell us that they impose rather small costs on the health service".
Shadow immigration minister Chris Bryant said: "Half of all councils have local residence requirements and it's right they are able to do so. We will look at the detail of the policy to ensure the government don't end up messing this up. For Labour, shadow immigration minister Chris Bryant said: "The test of the prime minister's speech is not whether he can make overblown promises or ramp up the rhetoric. It is whether he can stop this government's growing list of practical failings in the immigration system - especially on enforcement and illegal immigration.
"But the test of the prime minister's speech is not whether he can make overblown promises or ramp up the rhetoric. It is whether he can stop this government's growing list of practical failings in the immigration system - especially on enforcement and illegal immigration.
"The number of people refused entry to the UK has dropped by 50%, the number of people absconding through Heathrow passport control has trebled, the number of illegal immigrants deported has gone down, the number of foreign prisoners removed has gone down and the number of businesses fined for employing illegal workers has gone down.""The number of people refused entry to the UK has dropped by 50%, the number of people absconding through Heathrow passport control has trebled, the number of illegal immigrants deported has gone down, the number of foreign prisoners removed has gone down and the number of businesses fined for employing illegal workers has gone down."
On Friday Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg gave a speech on immigration in which he called for £1,000 deposits to be demanded for visa applicants from "high risk" countries, with the money repaid when they leave the UK.On Friday Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg gave a speech on immigration in which he called for £1,000 deposits to be demanded for visa applicants from "high risk" countries, with the money repaid when they leave the UK.