Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 12 October 2011.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate has been made of the number of (a) non-EEA nationals, (b) EEA nationals and (c) UK nationals claiming out-of-work benefits in each of the last five years.
The information requested is not available.
The UK's benefit payment systems do not record the nationality of people receiving benefits and therefore it is not possible to determine the number of claimants of each nationality. I have, however, commissioned work to make information available on the nationality of benefit claimants.
Access to income-related benefits(1) by non-European Economic Area nationals is strictly limited. They are excluded from such benefits because they are subject to immigration control, which prevents them from receiving public funds. Access to these benefits is therefore dependent on the type of leave the Home Office grants the individual.
Those who have worked in the UK and paid national insurance contributions may claim contributory benefits such as contribution-based jobseeker's allowance if they satisfy the contributions and other conditions for the benefit.
(1) Income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment and support allowance; pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit.
Yes0 people think so
No0 people think not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.