EU immigrants may have to wait for up to two years to claim benefits in the UK - rather than the current period of three months, Iain Duncan Smith has said.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, the Work and Pensions Secretary said he had been speaking to other member states including Germany, Italy and the Netherlands who were supportive of the idea.
He said Britain should ask migrants to "demonstrate that you are committed to the country, that you are a resident and that you are here for a period of time and you are generally taking work and that you are contributing".
He added: "At that particular point ... it could be a year, it could be two years, after that, then we will consider you a resident of the UK and be happy to pay you benefits."
Sources close to Mr Duncan Smith stressed that he was merely expressing an aspiration for the future, rather than outlining a policy.
Rehman Chisti, Tory MP for Gillingham and Rainham, told Sky News: "We have to do is what is in our national interest and therefore we have to work with other European countries to ensure they understand that it is also in their national interest to ensure that people have to wait for a certain period of time before they claim benefits.
"We want a debate among European states to ensure that we come out with a policy which is fair to all. In my view, it is absolutely fair and proper that when you have EU migrants travelling to the UK they should stay here for a fair period of time before they can claim benefits."
