Following a meeting with concerned leaders of member states, EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is said to be preparing to chastise the UK for a mistake by the Home Office in the assignment of benefits to EU citizens living in Britain post-Brexit.
Last month, it was revealed that Europeans who refused the right to remain in the UK after Brexit were mistakenly paid benefits.
Because of a Home Office blunder, some of the 141,000 people denied EU Settlement Status received cash despite being ineligible.
It is claimed that after informing applicants of their rejection, officials did not update their visa database.
This meant that those applications were still considered “pending,” and EU citizens could apply for benefits.
A watchdog warned that some of the migrants had been overpaid for months.
The Home Office will now attempt to recoup the funds.
The blunder has raised eyebrows in Brussels, where EU diplomats say Poland, Romania, Belgium, and Ireland have all urged Sefcovic to act.
“Welfare payments will now cease, and some may be required to repay money,” one EU diplomat told the Financial Times.
“These people are at high risk of falling into poverty.”
“It will come as a complete surprise to them that they no longer have the right to live in the UK.