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'JSA Cliams Made BY EU Cizirwen'.
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Ann Brown
(by email)
21 July 2008
Dear Ms Brown
Freedom of Information Request No 613
I am writing to you about your request for information on EU citizens claiming benefit, namely:
Housing Benefit, Child Benefit, JSA (and other benefits not mentioned)
Has there been an increase in the last 8 years.
How many EU Students are claiming Housing Benefit compared to UK Students
How many have been rejected from claiming all the above benefits in the last 8 years, including students claiming Housing Benefit
How many have moved to another part of the UK to claim benefits that could not claim due to LA rejecting their claims
How many have wrongfully been given benefits and how much have been reclaimed
Can you give me a break down of the whole UK and London Boroughs
Your request was received by the Department on 26 June 2008.
The Home Office publishes some information which answers your request in part, but most of the information you request is not available. The nationality of benefit applicants is not recorded by DWP on our operational computer systems as a matter of normal business as it is not required to inform the benefit entitlement decision.
Information on migrants from the A8 countries which joined the European Union in May 2004 can be found in the Home Office's Accession Monitoring Report. The report for May 2004 - March 2008 is published on the UK Border Agency external website at:
However, this publication does not provide information for other EU citizens.
Table 15 of the Accession Monitoring Report shows applications in 2007/08 for income -based JSA, including those disallowed, but does not provide a breakdown by nationality. Table 16 of the Report shows applications by nationality, but for all income-related benefits rather than just JSA.
Housing Benefit is administered by Local Authorities, and although we receive summary statistics and some detailed information from them, this does not include information on the nationality of the claimants, rejected claims or individuals making repeated claims to different Local Authorities from different addresses. Child Benefit is administered by HM Revenue and Customs.
If you are not satisfied with my handling of your request/reason(s) for not giving you the information please tell me why within two calendar months of the date of this letter. I will then arrange for someone to conduct an internal review of your request and my handling/decision. The review will be conducted by another officer, usually of a more senior grade to myself. This person will have taken no part in my original decision. You will be advised of their decision in writing.
If you are still not content with the outcome of the internal review you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner to look into the way your request has been handled. Please note that generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have first exhausted DWP's own complaints procedure. The Commissioner can be contacted at:
FoI Complaints Resolution
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Fax: 01625 545 510
email:[email address]
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Kind regards
Central FoI Team
Central FoI Team