European Nationals Moving to UK

Nationals of the following countries are entitled to live and work in the United Kingdom:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Irish Republic
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom

However, if you are a Bulgarian or Romanian National, you will not usually be able to work in the UK before you apply for an accession worker card and your employer applies for a work permit for you. If you are a National of Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia or Slovenia, you will need to register on the Worker Registration Scheme if you wish to work.

If you come to the UK to work and you are able to find employment, you will begin paying taxes and National Insurance contributions via your pay check. It is important that you ask your employer whether you will be paying National Insurance contributions; although you will have to contribute money each month you will build up entitlement to certain state benefits, including the State Pension (see The Basic State Pension. If you are working illegally, or earning less that the current Lower Earnings Level of £87 a week, you will not be making National Insurance contributions and thus will have no right to claim certain state benefits if and when you require them. If you do not make National Insurance contributions you will not usually be entitled to any State Pension. If you are due to retire within a few years and will not have time to build up entitlement to a full State Pension, you should ensure that you have claimed any pension you are entitled to claim from your home country.

You may be entitled to some state benefits even if you have not been working, depending on your individual circumstances: call the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 88 22 00 for assistance. However, generally you are expected to support yourself when you move to the UK, whether by working and earning a wage, by earning money through self-employment or by living off your savings. You should not move to another country expecting to live on benefits from the state: you may be refused help and forced to return to your home country. If you attempt to claim benefits when you are not entitled to do so, and this is recognised by the authorities, you may face prosecution for benefit fraud and be forced to leave the UK. For details of UK State Benefits see State Benefits.