Europeans will have to prove they are “genuinely seeking employment” to claim UK jobless benefits for more than six months, David Cameron has said.
BBC News
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. 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. 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.
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. Restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians working in the UK are due to be relaxed next year.