UK Mulls Fresh Curbs on Bulgarians, Romanians

New immigrants may be forced to pay to visit a GP and be banned from getting council houses for up to five years after they settle in Britain.

The moves, to be signalled by David Cameron this week, mark a new hardline stance on immigration aimed at reviving Tory fortunes, according to the Daily Mail.

The package of measures is expected to include tighter rules on access to health care, benefits, legal aid and other taxpayer-funded services.

The measures are to be rushed through to stop Bulgarians and Romanians being allowed free access to the UK next January.

"The PM wants the immigration system to back people who work hard and do the right thing. He is determined to bring an end to the situation where people can come to the UK and get benefits and public services without putting anything in," a senior source has told the Daily Mail.

Some 8,100 Romanians and 4,600 Bulgarians are expected to move to the UK next year.

January 1, 2014, is the expiration date of the seven-year transition period after Bulgaria and Romania's EU accession, in which the other EU member states could limit Bulgarians and Romanians' access to their labor markets.

No EU member state can unilaterally extend the existing labor market restrictions for Bulgarians and Romanians beyond the end of 2013.

Controversial claims have been made by a number of British tabloids and politicians that the UK should brace for a massive"influx" of Bulgarian and Romanian migrants after the end of 2013. It has been claimed that lifting the restriction would "put pressure" on housing, infrastructure, schools, and heath care.

The official stance of the UK government is that the labor restrictions for Bulgarians and Romanians will be lifted from January 1, 2014.

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