Britain to limit migrant benefits
EU says it will look into legality of rules
LONDON — Britain has laid out new rules designed to limit the access that migrants from other European Union states have to the country’s welfare system.
The European Commission, which has warned Britain that European Union freedom of movement rules were non- negotiable, said it would look closely at whether the proposalswere against EUlaw.
British Prime Minister David Cameron is seeking to curb immigration into Britain in an effort to quell concerns about migrants entering the country to claim benefits, referred to as “benefits tourism.”
The test, due to come into effect March 1, sets a minimum income threshold to determine whether a migrantworking in theU. K. should have access to benefits that comes with being classified as aworker rather than a job seeker.
“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,” said Work and Pensions Secretary IainDuncan Smith.
EU officials have criticized Britain for its increasingly tough approach to immigration. That has compounded already tense relations between Brussels and London over the U. K.’ s desire to renegotiate its 40year- old relationship with theEU.
“The European Commission will scrutinize very closely the latest measures announced by the U. K. to ensure their full compliance with EU law,” a spokesman for the European Commission told reporters.
Cameron is keen to be seen taking a tough stance on immigration to appease euro- skeptic lawmakers in his Conservative party. He needs to stop voters from defecting to the anti- immigration UK Independence Party, which threatens to split the center- right vote in elections next year.
He has already said Britain will stop helping jobless immigrants with their housing costs in April and has brought in new rules to prevent EU migrants from claimingwelfare benefits as soon as they arrive in the country.
Under the new system, anyone earning 150 pounds ( about $ 250) a week, equivalent to working 24 hours a week at the British minimum wage, will be classified as aworker. Those earning less will face further scrutiny to see whether their economic activity falls into the EU classification of “genuine and effective” or is classified as “marginal and ancillary.”
“These reforms will ensurewe have a fair system— one which provides support for genuineworkers and job seekers, but does not allow people to ... take advantage of our benefits system,” Duncan Smith said.
Migrants withoutworker status will be ineligible for housing, pensions and other benefits. The new rules will also apply to Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway nationals.