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Resources for Central and Eastern Europeans
Below are some useful resources, research and statistics that we have come across for and about Central and Eastern European nationals in the UK. Please note that these are in many cases external resources and although we believe them to be accurate, changes in policy may mean that the information is not fully up to date.
Guidance Documents for Central and Eastern Europeans in England
Guidance Documents for Central and Eastern Europeans in England
General Guidance on working and living in England
A8 and A2 Nationals
- New entitlements page and downloadable briefing developed by Homeless link and the Aire centre. This gives guidance on A8 and A2 nationals’ entitlements to: the labour market and unemployment benefits; statutory homelessness assistance; housing/council tax benefit; local authority accommodation; Supporting People funding; NHS services
- Homeless Link has provided a series of recommendations for people seeking work in the United Kingdom (Zalecenia dla osob szukajacych pracy w Wielkiej Brytanii). These are available in English and Polish
- European team at Jobcentre plus (Eures) has created this short information leaflet with information on working in the UK. It includes links to useful websites to look for jobs, find cheap accommodation and to access education.
- HM Revenue and Customs website on National Insurance for people coming to the UK
A8 nationals
- The Home Office has produced an information booklet called Rights and responsibilities of nationals of the new member states from May 2004, which covers coming to the UK, the Workers registration scheme and gives contact details for useful organsations.
- Child Poverty Action Group's briefing on how the 'right to reside' condition for A8s applies to the entitlement rules of some benefits and tax credits.
Guidance on workers rights
A8 and A2 Nationals
- Advice Now Leaflet - Advice on living in the UK, worker's rights, avoiding exploitative employers etc.
- European Job Mobility Portal - EU website clarifying the regulations and practicalities of living and working within the European Union. Country specific information on coming to the UK available in all European languages. Just use the Language scroll bar in the top right corner to change language. Use the Free movement tab to get information about entitlements for specific nationalities.
A8 Nationals
- The TUC has developed a guide called Working in the UK: Your rights at work which is available in all A8 languages, and Living and working in the UK: your rights. Further the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the TUC have published a new safety leaflet, Your health, your safety: A guide for workers, which is available in Czech, Slovak and Polish.
Research
- Research findings from our Survey of Needs and Provision related to migrants , with specific reference to Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Central and Eastern European migrants.
- Vulnerable workers: preliminary findings from Citizens Advice client research - BERR & Citizines Advice. January 2008
- Routes into London's homelessness services - Broadway research into the experiences of A8 nationals. October 2007
- Social Impact of Migrants - presentation to Home Office Migration Impacts Forum. October 2007.
- New EU members? - migrant workers challenges & opportunities to UK trade unions, TUC report. August 2007
- Beyond Boundaries? - offering substance misuse services to new migrants in London. July 2007.
- The economics of migration - TUC report finds the UK economy gains from migrant workers. June 2007.
- Community cohesion - JRF report on the effects of Eastern European migration on communities. May 2007
- Beyond the workplace - JRF report on the UK migration experiences of Eastern European nationals. May 2007
- Accession Monitoring Report - data from the Workers Registration Scheme, 2004 - 2006 - HL summary
- The Ground of Justice - 2007 report on Catholic migrants in London. Around half the sample were Eastern Europeans -HL summary
- Crossing Borders - 2007 report on the wider impact of migrant workers - HL summary
Statistics
Since A8 nationals are not subject to immigration control there is no information available on how many have actually entered the country since May 2004. The government have however has produced figures for the numbers who have registered for NI numbers and those registered on the Workers registration scheme. The ODPM has also monitored the lettings of social housing to A8 nationals.
The NI statistics
NI statistics are used to monitor immigration into the UK:
- Registrations to Accession nationals increased by 91 thousand between 2003/04 and 2004/05 from 20 thousand to 111 thousand.
- 63 thousands (57%) were from Poles. 16 thousand (14%) were Lithuanian and 10 thousand (9%) were Slovakian.
- London remained the most likely destination for migrants over the period covered by the statistics, although the proportion residing in London is decreasing slightly. 39% of registrations in 2004/05 were made to migrants living in the London Government Office Region, down from 43% in 2002/03. The proportion of registrations made to immigrants in the South East rose from 11 to 12% between 2002/02 and 2004/05. The next most likely registrations were the East of England (8%) and the North West (7%)
The National Insurance Number Allocations to Overseas Nationals entering the UK
Accession monitoring report
The Home Office, DWP, DCLG and teh HM Revenue & Customs have published regular joint 'Accession monitoring reports'. The Monitoring report covering May 2004 to March 2006 revealed that:
- 392,000 individuals applied to the Worker registration scheme between May 2004 & March 2005.
- 4,385 applications for Job seekers allowance and Income support was received from this group but only 400 claims were allowed to proceed for further consideration.
- 14% of Workers were based in London, however, other areas are increasingly seeing larger numbers and the Anglia region has now overtaken London with 15% of workers.
Access to the NHS
The Department of Health (DH) collected data on the number of A8 nationals accessing hospital treatment at a dozen NHS trusts across England in the period from May to December 2004
Contact linda.briheim-crookall@homelesslink.org.uk for further information.
THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE VIEWED AS A GUIDANCE ONLY The information supplied is based on resources we believe to be reliable. However, we cannot guarantee that this information fully comprehensive and up-to-date.
Social housing statistics
Local authority assistance to A8 nationals - information on A8 nationals accessing social housing under the Housing Act. Statistics on number of A8 applicants accepted as being owed a main duty by the local authority (Table 628) and the reason why a main duty was owed (Table 629).