Supporting EEA nationals - update

Announcement about EEA benefit claimants in the Autumn Statement

It was announced in the Autumn statement last week that the ‘genuine prospect of work’ assessment is to be introduced to migrants who have been claiming JSA prior to 1 January 2014. This test is already being applied after 6 months to those JSA claimants from EEA countries whose claims started between January and November this year, and after 3 months to those claiming from November.

An EEA national with a jobseekers allowance claim made prior to January, who currently has passported Housing Benefit, and who fails the genuine prospect of work test, would lose both their JSA and Housing Benefit.

We are not yet sure how this test will be applied, but it could have far reaching implications for jobseeking EEA migrants with current Housing Benefit claims.

Reconnections

The Booth Centre Reconnections Service is available to any EEA national who would like to return to family or work in the UK or Europe. We are able to arrange transport and travel documents where necessary. The service has returned 81 people between April and December.  If you have anybody who wishes to return to their home country or needs support to access a firm work opportunity in the UK or another EEA country, then please contact us for more information.

Booth Centre activities

Breakfast is available to everybody from 9am-10am. Face to face advice is available to EEA nationals from 9am-12pm and agencies can contact us for information and advice Monday to Friday between 8am-4pm.

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