Submission on discontinuing eligibility of non-British citizens for non-contribution based state

benefits to the Justice and Home Affairs Commission of Labour’s National Policy Forum

Discontinuing the eligibility of non-British citizens for state benefits not based on National
Insurance (NI) contributions would answer in part the questions “How do we ensure fair rules on
migration? What challenges and opportunities can issues around immigration and asylum present to
local communities and to wider society?” asked in the Justice and Home Affairs Commission’s
discussion paper. It would demonstrate that Labour views the freedom of movement of persons as
the freedom of movement of workers and not the freedom of movement of state benefit
arbitrageurs. It would have no impact on non-British citizens living in the UK who can support
themselves.

This discontinuation of eligibility of non-British citizens would not apply to asylum seekers, who
may have no other means of support.

This discontinuation of eligibility would not apply to recipients of compensatory state benefits such
as Armed Forces Independence Payment, Industrial Injuries benefits, diffuse mesothelioma
payments, Pneumoconiosis etc. Workers’ Compensation, Vaccine Damage Payment and War
Pension. Recipients of compensatory state benefits have suffered injury, illness or disability as a
consequence of service in the UK’s armed forces, an accident or disease at work or on an approved
employment training scheme or course in the UK, or vaccination provided by the UK against
certain diseases.

I would like to submit a proposal to discontinue the eligibility of non-British citizens for state
benefits not based on National Insurance contributions, with the exceptions of asylum seekers and
recipients of compensatory state benefits such as Armed Forces Independence Payment, Industrial
Injuries benefits, diffuse mesothelioma payments, Pneumoconiosis etc. Workers’ Compensation,
Vaccine Damage Payment and War Pension.