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Immigrants to the UK face a new, ‘more robust’ English language test in an attempt to stop any potential benefits cheats. Immigrants will need to answer questions on their working plans and take an extended ‘habitual residence text’ along with a sitting an English language skills test before being allowed to claim income-related benefits.
The tougher new guidelines have been instigated by Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, who has called for the new English test for immigrants to make sure that no one can ‘take advantage’ of the UK benefits system.
English Language Skills Necessary for Work
English language skills are seen as an important aspect of UK culture and the work place. The need to speak and understand English is now a main factor in determining a person’s eligibility for claiming income-related benefits.
However, with immigrants facing an English test before claiming benefits, this could result in many people unable to claim despite having no work.
One of the strongest changes is the ‘habitual residence’ test which now has 100 more questions, giving officials many different options to tailor the questions to individual claimants. This forms another important aspect of every benefits claim.
New English test for immigrants
The new English tests for immigrants are being carried out at Job Centres across the UK.
Some controversy surrounds this new scheme as the European Commission says it illegal to test immigrants in this way before they can claim benefits.
Another point of contention is the plan to make it impossible for EU migrants from claiming out-of-work benefits for their first three months living in the UK.
Immigrants told to speak English or lose benefits
Labour’s shadow welfare minister, Chris Bryant, said: “For generations, people have come to this country and worked hard to contribute to Britain, but the principle of contribution is an important one, and the controls on immigration must be fair to those who live here”.
Share your thoughts
What do you think of the plans for a new English test for immigrants?
Should an English test before claiming benefits be necessary?
Should all immigrants in the UK legally have the right to claim income-related benefits regardless of their English language abilities?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Attributions
- Job Centre Plus image by J J Ellison [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
