About us
See other news storiesBlocking benefits to illegal immigrants
6 March 2007
The government has announced new actions to stop illegal immigrants from receiving benefits.
The enforcement strategy (new window) announced today calls for government agencies to work cooperatively on the issue of illegal immigration, in order to balance fairness with enforcing immigration laws.
One of its central tenets is for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) to progressively deny work, benefits and services to people in the country illegally.
The government will enforce those rules through a partnership of tax authorities, benefits agencies, local authorities, police and the private sector.
Key enforcement measures
Measures in today's announcement include:
- the creation of immigration crime partnerships including IND, local authorities, police, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and local agencies to detect people here illegally
- creating regional partnerships with workplace enforcement teams from HMRC, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to track down and punish unscrupulous employers who exploit the system
- allowing local authorities to issue fines of up to £20,000 against private landlords who allow flats to become dangerously overcrowded
- creating a watch list of illegal immigrants denied benefits and services
- running pilots in three NHS trusts to test how IND data can ensure overseas visitors pay for health care
- reviewing how the driver licensing system can be used to identify and combat illegal immigration
- using innovative methods to alert legal immigrants that their visas are about to expire - this can include texting messages to visa holders to remind them to renew, so they can stay on the right side of the law
Building on our review of IND
Today's strategy builds on the commitments made by Home Secretary John Reid in the IND Review last year.
Dr Reid said the changes will not affect most people who come to Britain, as the vast majority of visitors and new residents come to the country legally, and bring tremendous financial benefits to the UK.
'In Britain,' he said, 'the majority of people work hard, play by the rules and get on through merit. We have a proud record of integrating immigrants from around the world, and Britain has become home to many individuals fleeing persecution.
'Most people who come to this country wish to comply fully with our immigration laws, but where they don't, we are committed to blocking the benefits and privileges that should only be enjoyed by those here legitimately.'
Stopping exploitation
Now is the time, he said, to tackle the root causes of benefits abuse by immigrants - exploitation. There are two obvious way to do that:
- by making it easier for employers to ensure the workers they hire are here legally
- by introducing ID cards for the newest immigrants
'We have to tackle not only the illegal trafficking, but also the illegal jobs at the end of the journey. Introducing biometric ID cards, starting with newly arrived foreign nationals, will make it easier to ensure fair access to services and to stamp out fraud and abuse,' Dr Reid said.
Inter-agency cooperation
Jim Murphy, Minister for the Department for Work and Pensions pledged his department's support to the new programme.
'The DWP is committed to doing all it can to ensure that people who live, work or claim benefits in Britain do so legally,' he said. 'We already work in close collaboration with the immigration services and welcome the opportunity to develop even closer links to help put this strategy into effect.
Grahame Maxwell, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said, 'This enforcement strategy represents a really positive step forward for the Home Office, police and other agencies. ACPO welcomes the overall aims of the strategy, which is the culmination of many months of hard work.'
