UK Prime Minister David Cameron recently announced a tightening of benefits for foreign immigrants. The UK is concerned that starting January 1st next year, 50,000 Romanians and Bulgarians will come to work in the UK, which will place a heavy burden on the UK’s finances. According to British media reports, Cameron blamed the previous Labour government for not restricting immigrants from Poland and nine other countries from entering the UK labor market when they joined the European Union in 2004.
Under the new plan, Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants will not be able to claim unemployment benefits in the UK for the first three months; these benefits are only available for six months unless "they have the opportunity to find work." Additionally, their applications for local welfare housing will also be restricted.
Other regulations include introducing income thresholds for welfare applications; new immigrants will not immediately qualify for housing benefits; and removing individuals from the application list who are not seeking work, among others.