UK PM looking at curbing benefits for EU migrants: report
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
02.01.2017 12:43
UK Prime Minister Theresa May is looking into following up on pledges by the previous government to put an “emergency brake” on benefits for EU migrant workers, a new report says.
UK PM Theresa May (R) during a recent meeting with her Polish counterpart Beata Szydło. Photo: Flickr.com/Number 10
In the report by the UK’s The Times published on Monday, May is said to be preparing a plan whereby she would fulfil the manifesto promise set by former Tory Prime Minister David Cameron to limit benefits for migrant workers from the European Union, as well as those for workers from outside the bloc.
If the plan comes into fruition, the move would affect new Polish migrants seeking employment in the UK.
The plan to limit benefits for stop newly-arrived migrants from obtaining benefits was a key pledge of the manifesto of the UK’s Conservative party. Cameron was able to obtain a temporary compromise following intense discussions with EU leaders in the days leading up the Brexit referendum in June 2016. However, the deal was scrapped once the UK voted to leave the 28-member bloc.
The move would help reduce the tax credit bill and “relieve pressure on the exchequer”, the British treasury.
The paper quoted experts as saying that between 300,000 and 500,000 of the 2.3 million European Union nationals in the UK are currently receiving in-work benefits, such as tax breaks.
(rg)