UK restricts EU workers' rights over 'Benefits Tourism' fears

Workers arriving in Britain after the accession of 10 new countries to the EU on May 1 will not be able to claim benefits for at least two years, the government has announced.

People from the 10 countries joining the European Union – eight of which were formerly within the Soviet bloc – will be able to move freely around the EU without immigration restrictions. However, the Home Secretary has said that in order to prevent so-called 'benefits tourists' tough measures were needed to the new dispensation was not abused.

David Blunkett said: "The UK has always welcomed hard working immigrants seeking to better themselves and contribute to our prosperity. Tougher benefit rules will make sure our generosity is not exploited."

The government has said that it is amending the rules under which a range of social security benefits and public services like health care and child benefit are provided to ensure that they are not abused.

A registration scheme will enable the government to monitor the number of people coming to the UK from the new EU countries and impose restrictions to protect the labour market if necessary.

"The obligation we have placed on working accession nationals to register with us is part of our wider crack down on illegal working," said Mr Blunkett.

"It will also pave the way for the introduction of ID cards which will eventually be given to all EU nationals living in the UK. If the registration scheme shows an imbalance in the labour market we will re-impose restrictions."

It is hoped that after accession, citizens of the new member countries – Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia – will help fill skills gaps and the 550,000 vacancies in the labour market.

However, the measures did not go far enough for the Tory Party, and Shadow Home Secretary David Davis accused Labour ministers of "floundering about at the last minute" with a series of "11th hour measures".

He said: "Britain's strategy for the free movement of labour, which impacts on British jobs and our public services, should have been clear, consistent and planned well in advance. Yet in the last few weeks, we have witnessed the astonishing spectacle of the Prime Minister inventing policy, being contradicted by his official spokesman, being put in his place by the Home Secretary, and blatantly ignored by the Minister for Europe."

Mr Davis said that without any methods of enforcement Mr Blunkett's announcement was "little more than a headline grabbing initiative".

"Yet again the British people have been badly served by this government. The shambles we have seen surrounding this policy sums up why Britain deserves better," he added.

(gmcg)