EU citizens in the UK may have incorrectly received post-Brexit benefits

It is alleged that as many as 141,000 EU citizens living in the UK have received alms they were not entitled to due to an error by UK officials.

Now a separate government-funded but independent body responsible for the care of EU citizens living in Britain after Brexit has warned that millions of pounds in benefits could have to be paid back.

The Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA) has warned the Home Office, the department that made the original mistake, that it is concerned about the impact the revelation could have on thousands of people. It is also concerned that the digital system used to assess applications may not be robust enough.

The IMA said: “The IMA is concerned that this situation has arisen and the impact it could have on those affected. It has therefore written to the Home Office seeking clarity on what steps have already been taken to remedy this. remedied and what further steps will be taken.

“We seek assurance that the digital EUSS system is fit for purpose, maintained and monitored to reflect accurate digital statuses, and is accurately available on demand to all eligible citizens.”

The error affects people who applied for EU status but were not granted it, and covers an application period from June 2021 to April 2022. The IMA says 141,000 people were refused during that period.

A spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior said: Guardian newspaper investigated the situation, but the department did not disclose how much money had been paid to those who were not entitled.