370,000 migrants claiming benefits

[venator]

Just reposting flip-flop's thread,

I can't work out whether I'm shocked or unsurprised by this number!

Does this amount of migrants claiming benefits raise cause for concern?

http://www.telegraph....ants-on-the-dole.html

[boxtops]

Link doesn't work, o great one...

[sandyRoe]

If people come here to start a new life and later fall on hard times they should be allowed to claim benefits.

[boxtops]

... and this is the original thread http://www.theanswerb.../Question1097597.html

[venator]

Sorry, copied & pasted flip-flop's excellent post, must have lost the link in the wash - this should work

http://www.telegraph....ants-on-the-dole.html

[venator]

I reposted it in the interests of accuracy, as it referred to 370 migrants, not 370,000, with apologies to Flip-flop

[flip_flop]

Unless my maths has gone wrong, 370,000 as a % of 5,500,000 is 6.72%.

Perhaps it would be better to put the number in terms of the population of a city.

Leicester has a population of 340,000 people - so the number of migrants claiming benefits is somewhat larger than the population of Leicester.

Sandy - are you suggesting 370,000 people came here, had a job and then didn't?

[Philtaz]

That was going to be my question too, flip_flop.

Were all 370,000 in employment then suddenly became redundant/unemployed?

I was also surpised at the figure of 54% subsequently became British citizens. On what basis? Marriage? 5 year residence?

They wouldn't be taking advantage of the infamously easy to use/abuse UK welfare system, would they?

[venator]

Sandyrae - do you really believe a ll these people came here for jobs?

In Roumania or Lithuania, they're on the breadline - over here, they get housed, fed and educated.

[sandyRoe]

In Belfast, where I live, Romanians are working as car washers and they do it sometimes in near freezing conditions. Many women are out in all weathers selling The Big Issue. They've shown initiative.

[flip_flop]

I strongly suspect you will find that the car washers, which is a cash in hand job, are also claiming benefits - as will be the Big Issue sellers.

[venator]

They've shown initiative all right!

The point is, should we as taxpayers pay out billions to support these people, many of whom have come here for the handouts?

[venator]

And furthermore, can you seriously tell me the car washers are declaring their earnings to the Benefits people, and paying tax on their earnings?

How naive can you get?

[sandyRoe]

They haven't all made a bee line for the UK. All advanced countries will attract people hoping to make a better life for themselves and their children.

[emmie]

sandyr, sorry but i agree with flip flop, it's a scam, another thread on this several days ago made much the same point. As has been said most of those people won't be paying tax, insurance etc, so add in benefits on top, not good news for the ones who have paid in the system all their lives and then get nowt when the time comes that they need it.

[venator]

There's a difference between working for a better life and becoming a parasite.

[emmie]

just one article, i think it's wrong that she has been allowed to do this, disabled son or no.

http://www.dailymail....tml?ito=feeds-newsxml

[venator]

Perhaps Sandyrae would give this lady a home. I don't want to pay for her.

[Toby570]

Like water flowing to it's lowest point, poorer people will flow to a richer country. Only when that country has been reduced to the same status as their own will any incentive to come here be removed.

[VHG]

>>>SandyRoe - If people come here to start a new life and later fall on hard times they should be allowed to claim benefits.

Yes but there is no "later fall on hard times" about it, they just come here and start claiming the benefits straight away. They also know we are totally gullible and will give away money to anybody as though we have loads of it.

I was watching one of those "emigrate to Australia" programs on the TV the other day and they do all sorts of checks to make sure only people with skills enter the country. If a retired couple want to move there they have to contribute about £40,000 to the country before they can even go.

We take any old rubbish - no skills, cant speak English, criminal record, terrorist etc etc. Once your here bring your parents over, bring your brother and sister, arrange a marriage to get someone else over here.

All it does is dilute this country, so we finish up with a polluted country with loads of people who contribute nothing and take take take.

No wonder so many people with skills want to emigrate to Austrlaia, in 50 years time all that there will be left in this country is the rubbish no one else wants.