European immigrants will face a tougher test to access a range of benefits from March 1, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has announced.

Mr Duncan Smith set out plans requiring European Economic Area (EEA) migrants to demonstrate they have earned around £150 a week for three months in order to qualify for “worker” status, which opens the door to more generous benefit entitlements.

He said: “These reforms will ensure we have a fair system — one which provides support for genuine workers and jobseekers, but does not allow people to come to our country and take advantage of our benefits system.”