By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 11 Aug 2015 • 12:18
BRITISH government plans to restrict access to some benefits to migrants from the European Union could hit young British citizens too.
Under Conservative proposals, only EU migrants who have been living and working in the UK for a minimum of four years would be eligible for benefits that can be claimed while working, such as tax credits and housing benefit.
However, according to BBC reports on Tuesday (August 11), ministers have been advised that solely applying the restriction to migrants would be illegal under EU law.
“Imposing additional requirements on EU workers that do not apply to a member state’s own workers constitutes direct discrimination which is prohibited under current EU law,” says a document from government lawyers seen by the broadcaster.
Extending the restriction to the UK population as a whole would mean 18-year-old British workers would also be ineligible until they reached 22, and that is reportedly what the government is considering. The BBC says this would affect around 50,000 UK citizens under 22 who receive tax credits, most of whom have children.
Tax credits are paid to workers earning below a certain level to top up low wages.
Share this story
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don't already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews
Sod the E.U.! We have followed their dictates for far too long. It is about time we started putting brits and Britain first.
This is how I have felt for years Roy but there is one big problem, Brussels knows how to get their way and keep support, even UK politicians use the same tactic to keep people in line that Brussels use on them…. they give them money, an MEP can boost their wages and expenses, this is how Brussels have kept the gravy train running… by pouring more gravy into it for the Politicians. A UK MEP gets 695% of the average UK salary while a Spanish MEP 806% and Bulgaria 2051% of their countries average salary… all this on top of what ever else they make, Oh and don’t forget their MEP pensions on top of that plus any parliamentary pension…
Comments are closed.
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Download our media pack in either English or Spanish.