I didn't realise the UK weren't requiring negative tests for people entering the country. I find that quite shocking as I know someone who has gone to Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast for Christmas, and she needed a negative test result before leaving France, to ensure she'd be let in on arrival.
Yes.. A very long time ago when it was rather more generous. I hope you never do have the experience. But if you do I hope you think about it before you talk again about our generous welfare system.
I'm more than happy to admit my ignorance on how generous the UK welfare system is or is not, and am genuinely interested to understand more. I suppose everything is relative. It may be generous for immigrants from Africa or Middle Eastern country, but does not compare favourably with some parts of the EU, particularly France, Spain, the Low Countries and Scandinavia. I accept this probably explains the need for free school meals in the UK in the holidays and the importance of work from those like Marcus Rashford.
One of the biggest challenges is knowing what you are entitled to claim and how you go about doing so, particularly when many claimants are already at a disadvantage, be it basic English and Maths skills, physical disability etc I'm grateful that I've never had to call on any of the various agencies for assistance As a side point I would urge anyone on here who is 50 plus to undertake a state pension forecast online and to check that your NI contributions record is correct. Mine was but my partners wasn't, and it could've cost her £20 a week reduced pension
RTE over here reporting that a deal in the Brexit talks will be announced today or tomorrow. National diplomats of the EU27 being told to prepare for a meeting tomorrow apparently. Nice Christmas present for many of us, if true. https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/1223/1186088-brexit-talks-latest/