Senior government ministers: Jobless migrants will be denied housing benefits

Starting April this year, jobless migrants from within the EU will be denied access to housing benefits.

12:00 20 January 2014

"No longer can people come here from abroad and expect to get something for nothing” – this is the exact message that senior government ministers are pushing to jobless migrants from within the EU. 

 

Starting April this year, access to housing benefits will be cut for them. In addition, they will only be able to claim jobseeker’s allowance for six months unless they have a “genuine” chance of work. 

 

Home Secretary Theresa May and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said that the move is designed to protect UK welfare system from being exploited. 

 

"For those migrants who do come here, we're ensuring they are unable to take unfair advantage of our system by accessing benefits as soon as they arrive," they said.

 

"From the beginning of April we will be removing entitlement to housing benefit altogether for this group," they wrote.

 

"In addition, EU migrants can only claim jobseeker's allowance for six months unless they have genuine prospects of finding work."

 

They added: "These new immigration and benefit checks will clamp down on those trying to exploit the system.

 

"We can ensure that Britain's growing economy and dynamic jobs market deliver for those who work hard and play by the rules."