Universal Credit and EU nationals

The coalition government introduced a series of measures designed to reduce benefit entitlement to new migrants from the European Union (EU). Under UC, EU households cannot access means-tested benefits in the UK without having worked here first.

According to government guidance on claiming benefits in the event of a “no-deal” Brexit, EU citizens and their family members already living in the UK when it leaves the EU will be able to continue receiving UK benefits on broadly the same terms as before this date. It says that any changes to accessing benefits after this date will be in line with Home Office systems and will be based on any future agreements with the EU.