This is a shocking indictment of Benefit Britain

[Bobbisox]

We are in a mess so why is this situation not being addressed?
as I said a couple of weeks ago, we have to be the laughing stock of the Western World





Millions paid to foreign workers

Hundreds of thousands of East Europeans working in Britain are being paid millions in child benefit for families who don't even live here.

In Poland alone, there are an estimated 40,000 children who receive UK child benefit.

The revelation comes as up to three million UK households start losing out on vital payments because of ConDem cuts.

Workers from the European Union pocket the state handouts as EU laws mean people can claim child benefit from the country where they work or from their own government.

So, a Pole with one child back home can receive weekly child benefit from the UK of £20.30 - instead of the allowance in Warsaw that works out at just £3.36.

Employees from eight ex-Eastern Bloc nations - such as Lithuania and Hungary - are cashing in because benefits It beggars in their countries are so low.



EU Law seems to work against us not for us!

[Whickerman]

It's because the cost of living is that nuch higher in the west that the benefits are too. Same argument is daily aired here in Ireland, as I'd imagine it is in France, Germany, Denmark etc etc. But it does in fact work both ways - UK citizens here in Ireland receive higher benefits than they would in the UK. The current Child Benefit levels alone are:
Child Benefit Monthly rate
One child €150
Two children €300
Three children €487
Four children €674
Five children €861
Six children €1,048
Seven children €1,235
Eight children €1,422

[Bobbisox]

Whickerman I am sure ummmm won't mind me saying this but her child went back to Southern Ireland to live and she was told she could no longer receive child benefit?
and she IS a British subject!

[zzxxee]

i thought you only could have child benefit if your child lived with you????

[askyourgran]

It beggers belief , we are supposed to be down on our uppers in this country, the Government are cutting services etc, and yet they can give handouts like this. I'm disgusted. I don't know why everyone doesn't shut up shop and all come to live here.

[Bobbisox]

not according to EU law zeee, these benefits are getting sent to all these countries to support migrant workers children , £20-30 in Zlotys is a nice little earner

[Whickerman]

Possibly because across the EU the 'Habitual Residence' rule has been implemented without any real understanding. I believe that even from desk to desk - let alone dept to dept - of any govt agency it's been implemented differently, so there's always cause for appeal. The official guide here is as follows (note the emphasis on 'or common travel area' - ummm should appeal that):
What is habitual residence?
Habitual residence means you have a proven close link to Ireland. Proving you are habitually resident relies heavily on fact. If you have lived in Ireland all your life, you will probably have no difficulty showing that you satisfy the factors which indicate habitual residence – see list below.

The term habitually resident is not defined in either Irish or EC law. However, the following 5 factors, which have been set down in Irish and European law, will be examined to find out if you are habitually resident in Ireland:

Length and continuity of residence in Ireland or other parts of the Common Travel Area
Length and purpose of any absence from Ireland or the Common Travel Area
Nature and pattern of employment
Your main centre of interest
Your future intentions to live in Ireland as it appears from the evidence

http://www.citizensin...assistance_in_ireland

[zzxxee]

so bobbi what your saying is if your born and breed in this country and your child lives elsewhere you dont get child benefit but polish people who's kids live in poland, can claim and send it home ???????

[Bobbisox]

I only picked out ummmms case as a reference Whickerman, I have no wish to know her status in it, but find it grossly unfair, I wonder how many more British citizens have prove' they have links or even live here

[Bobbisox]

thats about it zee, you would be able to claim it if you lived overseas I think, same as the fuel allowance, but why not, you would have then paid into the system and if you hadn't you would hardly be living in a Villa on the Costas..;-0)

[zzxxee]

what a fcuked up system

[ummmm]

You're right Bobbie. She went back to Ireland to live with her Dad. CB said that, although, she was in full time education I wasn't entitled to CB. Even though I had to pay maintenance for her.

[Bobbisox]

yes helen but look at the pitiful economies of the Eastern Bloc countries..
it just seems a very unbalanced scale here

[B00]

I can't bring myself to get annoyed about this as I would the benefit "scroungers" which are usually white British born in all honesty.

At least the Polish, or any foreign nationality that works over here is errr working, and bot sitting on their ar$es expecting handouts for doing bugger all. If part of working here and contributing to society entitles them to child benefit, then so be it.

[ummmm]

All that stuff posted above was not there when I posted....

[ladybird49]

Great Britain my Ar$e

[Bobbisox]

I just feel in this climate of cut backs it is lunacy to carry on in this way, also how many have 'forgotten' to mention they are no longer working here?

[ummmm]

Agree BOO....we call them 'The New Irish'

[jake-the-peg]

What's even worse is that Northerners can come down here work in London and get their child benefit paid to their familly Oop North!

[Bobbisox]

BOO I agree, they aren't work shy people but we can not afford this kind of thing, and yes, include those who sit on their ar$es and take, take, take