By Tim Ross, and David Barrett10:21PM BST 05 Oct 2013

End of free NHS care for migrants under new bill
Major restrictions on migrants’ free access to the NHS are to be introduced.
Figures published by the Office for National Statistics showed that 37,000 extra Romanian and Bulgarian workers have arrived since June last year.
There is uncertainty over how much is spent by the NHS on foreigners who are not entitled to free treatment.

Foreigners will have to prove that they are entitled to be in the country before they are given access to GPs and hospitals, while foreign students will have to make a “contribution” to the health service.
The measure will form the centrepiece of tough new legislation designed to reduce numbers entering the country and put pressure on illegal immigrants to leave.

A senior government source said it was an attempt to target “people who have no right to be here”.
Restricting access to the NHS is highly contentious politically.
GPs will be told they have to check that people seeking to register with them are here legally and issue only time-limited “NHS numbers” — the proof of entitlement to free care — to those who do not have a permanent right to be in the country.

Separately, students from outside Europe will have to pay a £200 levy before they can access the NHS.
Hospitals will be told to step up attempts to pursue “health tourists” for the cost of treatments they receive.
The measures will be outlined in the Immigration Bill, which is due to be put before Parliament within days.
It represents one of the most wide-ranging and ambitious pieces of legislation since the Coalition took office, spanning six Whitehall departments: health, local government, business, and transport, as well as the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice.
However, it will not affect migrants from inside the European Union, which is now the biggest single source of new arrivals.
Other elements of the Bill include:

• A ban on councils giving social housing to individuals with no connection to an area, with “penalties” if the rules are not followed;
• Fines of up to £3,000 if landlords do not conduct thorough background checks on their tenants to ensure they have a legal right to live in Britain, and fines of up to £20,000 for every illegal worker employed by unscrupulous businesses;
• A victory for The Sunday Telegraph’s campaign to end the farce that sees foreign criminals dodging deportation by appealing using the Human Rights Act.

Instead the law will allow immediate deportation and appeals from outside the country unless criminals can show they face “serious and irreversible harm” in their home countries.
The plans are intended to address what ministers see as public concern over the impact of the migration policies of the last Labour government.
The Bill is the Coalition’s flagship legislation for the year and Conservatives hope that the package of measures will allow them to win back voters who have been tempted to support the UK Independence Party.
“If you are not entitled to our free National Health Service you’ll have to pay for it,” a source said.
“If you are an illegal immigrant you won’t be able to rent a council flat and you won’t be able to rent a private sector flat.”
Many of the restrictions on free health treatment are likely to be opposed by some doctors, who have previously resisted attempts to make them “gatekeepers” to the NHS.

At present anyone registering for the first time at a GP is given an NHS number, which allows them to receive free treatment.
Under the reforms, they will have to prove they are entitled to be here to gain the number. By having no NHS number, they will be unable to receive anything except emergency treatment.
Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, said: “We need to ensure that those residing or visiting the UK are contributing to the system, and that we do as much as possible to target illegal migration.
"We have a National Health Service not an international health service and I am determined to wipe out abuse in the system.”
The foreign students levy will end the current situation which allows free access to the NHS for all students here for more than six months.
Currently 300,000 students from outside Europe [/b]are studying at British universities.
Official projections have suggested that this number will rise to more than 480,000 by 2025.
Although [b]charging these students would raise less than £100 million, ministers believe it would be a significant disincentive to those who would abuse the NHS.

Analysis of Home Office figures suggests that one in five foreign students will remain living in the UK five years after first arriving, and many will settle permanently.
Efforts to step up the pursuit of health tourists will also be included.
There is uncertainty over how much is spent by the NHS on foreigners who are not entitled to free treatment, with current estimates ranging from £3million to £300million, and fears the figure may be even higher... .

A separate tightening of the rules on unemployment benefits is likely to follow, which will not require an Act of Parliament to introduce.
Certain unemployment benefits for European nationals will be stopped after six months, under the plan to amend the Immigration Regulations.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/10358569/End-of-free-NHS-care-for-migrants-under-new-bill.html

nice development!

When they pass a law to start shooting u on site, u all go return to ur fatherland or motherland or granpaland.

Wetin concern me?

SLIDE waxie: nice development!

When they pass a law to start shooting u on site, u all go return to ur fatherland or motherland or granpaland.

Wetin concern me?

Them no reach.

We don't die, We Multiply......_{and nack their sisters as well}

GustavoFring:





Them no reach.

We don't die, We Multiply......_{and nack their sisters as well}

make dem catch you

Ok.

good for them

they are seriously turning up the heat on illegal immigrants (non european ones).

the handwriting is on the wall. how long before they turn on legal immigrants (non europeans ones)

Wheres the UK crew at ? I'm waiting for an interesting discussion.

David cameron will soon start installing barbed wires around the english channel and heathrow just to be reelected in 2015.

No matter how strict they make their laws, peeps will NEVER be discouraged from migrating to UK, illegally or legally


When there's a will, there's way!!

Thank God I didn't apply for UK uni

@Post

The UK is making it very obvious that they don't want foreigners in their country anymore especially the illegal ones. There are loads of opportunities here on the African continent. Most parts of Europe are basting in their past glory ever since the global recession hit. So, it will be wise for Nigerians to look elsewhere for perceived 'greener pastures.'

Our Senators should stopping running to England anytime they catch a cold & do more to improve their own hospitals in their oen country

You know that anti-immigrant feeling is at boiling point in britain when a conservative/LIBERAL DEMOCRATS coalition can make such a move, and even LABOUR can't speak against it.

carujmonella: No matter how strict they make their laws, peeps will NEVER be discouraged from migrating to UK, illegally or legally


When there's a will, there's way!!

Most definitely. Wasnt it just last week a boat carrying 300 people capsized on the coast of Lampedusa, Italy.

People would rather die trying, than continue to exist in corrupt and impoverished nations.

Don't blame U.K
Blame GEJ

UK they chase Nigerian students comot ASUU they chase them comot. Niaja don suffer GOD have mercy on us.

UK and their useless law,i regreted that they are the one colonize nigeria and US instead of france,,UK with their hypocrital and discrimination,,james cameron era is a bad insect in the history of british

Symphony007: You know that anti-immigrant feeling is at boiling point in britain when a conservative/LIBERAL DEMOCRATS coalition can make such a move, and even LABOUR can't speak against it.

What is anti-immigrant about asking people not entitled to a service to pay for it? I know this is something foreign to Nigerians as you lot are used to not paying for services used e.g electricity, water,

Nice development..... Before anybody cries foul... If the illegals didn't abuse their system first, the system won't seek to abuse them

Wetin I dey find go UK before. Na only to go watch chelsea fit carry me go that dull, cold and lifeless country.

Saklekplus: UK and their useless law,i regreted that they are the one colonize nigeria and US instead of france,,UK with their hypocrital and discrimination,,james cameron era is a bad insect in the history of british

in what way is it a useless law?

Quite typical of a truly conservative society, isnt it?

Without prejudice to anyone, my common sense pressured me to ask this question:
Why should someone who is not eligible for a particular service attempt to secure free access to that service?

Good morning.

nice work
#TakeCareOfYourSelf

THATS OK team Australia all the way

pappilo:

What is anti-immigrant about asking people not entitled to a service to pay for it? I know this is something foreign to Nigerians as you lot are used to not paying for services used e.g electricity, water,

what rubbish...if not for immigrants who will do some of the odd jobs in the u.k? Who will work over 5 jobs with meager pay. These people play a vital role in the running of the country. Which odinary british citizen will work in a hot fast food kitchen for hours and get a few quids as salary? They will revolt and labour unions will swoop in. But these immigrants do all those odd jobs for companies will in turn pay fat taxes to the government.

Apart from this, cameron's government has gone the extra mile to harass immigrants, both legal and illegal and it is clearly because he is scared of UKIP, and the prospects of him being a one term p.m!

pappilo:

What is anti-immigrant about asking people not entitled to a service to pay for it? I know this is something foreign to Nigerians as you lot are used to not paying for services used e.g electricity, water,

Lay about.......

After all the expensive fees they collect from foreign students which is 3x what their citizens pay, why should'nt the students have access to free healthcare when they need it. Na wa for this UK, everyday new law to fustrate people.