MAY’S EU-TURN
Kids’ benefit to continue
THREE million EU migrants living in Britain will keep their rights to send home child benefits after Brexit.
The move by Theresa May, which breaks a manifesto pledge, was revealed in a leaked document.
Tories had vowed to restrict tax credits and child benefits to EU migrants who have been in the country for four years.
Plans to carry on the payments even after we leave Europe were sent to MPs last week from the Department for Exiting the European Union (Dexeu).
They warned that any attempt to withdraw handouts for those already here would risk Brussels restricting health and pension rights for Brit ex-pats.
A senior government source said: “The recommendation from Dexeu is that as a priority we need to secure rights for UK citizens in the EU.
“The recommendation is that for what they call ‘the stock’ of people, the EU migrants who are already here, that they should continue to have their rights, which includes being able to export child benefit.
“That paper was put in front of ministers last week.” The leak comes after the Government was forced to make a U-turn over plans by Chancellor Philip Hammond to increase national insurance rates for the self-employed.
But European Commission chief negotiator Michel Barnier warned it could take “several months” before their post-Brexit settlement rights can be guaranteed.
Britain is expected to leave the EU during spring 2019.
Mrs May will send a seven or eight-page letter to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, and is expected to make a speech at a Birmingham trade summit.
But Downing Street said “nothing had been resolved” on the child benefit issue.
A Government spokesman said: “This is speculation and we do not comment on leaks from Cabinet.
“We have said we want to secure the rights of EU nationals already in the UK, and UK nationals in the EU.
“But no decisions of the kind speculated about here have been taken.”