Housing benefit denied to jobless migrants

Jobless migrants from within the European Union will be denied access to housing benefit from April this year, senior government ministers have said.

Home Secretary Theresa May and Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith told the Daily Mail it would prevent exploitation of the UK welfare system.

They will also only be able to claim jobseeker's cash for six months, unless they have a "genuine" chance of work.

Labour said it was "supportive" but needed more details of the policy.

A three-month ban on claims for out-of-work benefits is already in force.

This came after restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians working in the UK were eased at the beginning of the year.