EU Migrants

There is a report in the Daily Mail today, that migrant workers from other EU Countries, who came to work in the UK, are claiming and sending home £27 million per year in child benefits for their family still living abroad.

Arthur

Re: EU Migrants

Yes this is quite true as they are working they are entitled to claim child benefit even though the children are not in this country.
I thought however the government was going to change this .

Re: EU Migrants

In order to claim Child Benefit you have to be "be physically present in the UK – together with your child".

Re: EU Migrants

Hi Indigo,

When did that alter then, because it is against EU Law?.

Arthur

Re: EU Migrants

TBH they can say what they like it still goes on whether it's against the rules or not.

Re: EU Migrants

Apols, I misread your OP. You can get CB if you are from an EEA country and if your child still lives there, only if you or your partner is working and paying NI or on certain benefits.

Re: EU Migrants

Hi

The advice, from HMRC Website.

European Community (EC) Regulations mean that a worker in one EEA country can claim CTC/Child Benefit as a “Family Benefit” for their family members who are living in another EEA country. So a migrant worker whose wife and children are living in another EEA country can claim and receive CTC/Child Benefit.

When you have confirmed a child is living abroad and the child’s parent is living and working in the UK then the application for Tax Credits is deemed complex and will need to be worked by the International Team, see CCM20300.

Note: If the customer’s partner is living aboard, a joint claim must be made for CTC.

If the customer is in receipt of Child Benefit, CBO staff may have already issued the e-form to confirm the make up of the household and establish if any other family benefits are being paid.

CTC should not be awarded until these checks have been carried out and confirmation has been received, however WTC entitlement still needs to be considered and if eligible to WTC this will be awarded while waiting for CTC to be assessed.

Some are most definitely claiming and sending the money abroad, others are not.

It is not a one way thing however, I know someone who works in Germany and who gets German child benefit, which is very good, and sends it home for his children who live in England.

Re: EU Migrants

I read some time ago that it was cheaper for this country to pay child benefit for children living abroad than for us to educate them etc if they were living here.

Re: EU Migrants

Wouldn't you do that if you have the chance and your family were living in poverty Arthur .

Blame the silly EU laws not the people .