Precarious Welfare: Access to Benefits and Support by EEA Nationals Residing in the UK

Nationals of European Economic Area (EEA) countries enjoy the right to ‘move and reside freely’ in other EEA States like the UK. However, residence in itself does not give such residents an automatic right of access to host States’ social rights, including benefits, housing, and other social welfare support. As the article discusses, in the aftermath of large-scale migration to the UK from Eastern Europe from May 2004 onwards, the main gateway to such support - the ‘right to reside’ - has been highly problematic; and it is by no means clear that the UK's regime is compatible with EU Law requirements on residence and access to support. An analysis is provided of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, and case-law including leading cases like Abdirahman in the Court of Appeal.