Should benefits be paid to people who come to the UK and who have never worked here.”

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co...ts/view/258449/258449

[DEN53]

A Big Fat NO !

[sandyRoe]

Why would an elderly Latvian woman need to seek asylum here in the UK?

[Old_Geezer]

Isn't that locking the stable door after the horse has bolted?
Why have they come here intending to stay when they don't have a job offer?

[Zeuhl]

From the Link
<<The revelation will fuel support for the Daily Express’s massively popular crusade to get Britain out of the EU.>>

Not much chance of objective reporting here then LOL

[Old_Geezer]

Blast this lack of an edit facility.

Why have we let them come here intending to stay when they don't have a job offer?

[daisya]

This just reinforces my belief that we should come out of the EU and tell them to - off. If this goes ahead then the UK government are bigger fools than I thought they were and as for all the other EU rules and regs coming from unelected bodies, don't start me on the! Rant, rant, rant.

[sandyRoe]

Are there countries in the EU which pay better pensions than we do? Would we got their rate of benefit if we went there?

[arwyn]

NO!!!!! but they know they will get benefits so that's why they come.

[ichkeria]

"Why would an elderly Latvian woman need to seek asylum here in the UK?"

She was actually Russian, by the sound of it. And her asylum claim was rightly rejected. It is interesting that she chose to come to Britain rather than her beloved Russia :-)

[DEN53]

What money will be wasted on these freeloaders, could be better spent in ensuring our pensioners (who have paid their taxes and N.I) have comfortable Care Homes, if they need to go into care.

[Zeuhl]

<<Why have we let them come here intending to stay when they don't have a job offer?>>

Isn't Latvia part of the European Union?

Free movement means they can come here in the same way we can go and live there or in Spain or France - though i don't see why they should be entitled to British benefits.
.

[sandyRoe]

If her claim was rejected why wasn't she sent back to the USSR? Or is it Russia now?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.thisismone...-worst-in-Europe.html

Panic over, why the hell should they want to come here?

/// Even the Netherlands, which has the second-lowest level, provides a state pension nearly double the UK figure ///

[ichkeria]

"If her claim was rejected why wasn't she sent back to the USSR? Or is it Russia now? "

She should have been sent back to Latvia, but somehow she managed to avoid it. All the Baltic states (especially Latvia) have problems with large numbers of ethnic Russians who were settled there in the days when those countries were part of the Soviet empire. Many have not integrated too well into the new independent states, especially the older ones, for reasons of language, culture etc. And its not helped by the Russian govt claiming that they are being "persecuted". Somehow though these people don't actually want to go and live in Russia - no thank you!
Anyway, this particular lady should have gone back. I don't think this should be used as a stick to beat the EU though. People can claim benefits in the UK and not encessarily be EU citizens. Each case needs treating on its merits. Anyone who is on the make needs to be dealt with firmly.

[emmie]

No

[Old_Geezer]

"Isn't Latvia part of the European Union?"

Who cares? The question remains valid.
And one can also ask, "Why are we part of an EU which imposes this sort of unreasonable demand on us?"

[Zeuhl]

<<"Isn't Latvia part of the European Union?"

Who cares?>>

Well perhaps someone who implies that residency is dependent on having a job offer should

[sandyRoe]

She would only be entitled to the minimum pension. She'd be living in poverty.

[daisya]

I totally agree with Old Geezer and for the record how on earth can anyone who hasn't worked here for years to accrue pensions benefits, receive them anyway? That will open the flood gates for those born here who didn't work full time/years and get a reduced pension or part of that of their spouses. Unfair or what?