Posted on 08/22/2006 11:43:54 AM PDT by Pokey78
At least 600,000 eastern Europeans have flooded into Britain, the Government has admitted - almost 25 times its own prediction.
And more than 40,000 of the migrants are managing to claim benefits worth tens of millions of pounds, including tax credits worth £5,200 a year to a young family.
The figures have sparked a huge debate at the heart of Government over the need to stop Bulgarians and Romanians from being granted an 'open door' to the UK Labour market.
Unemployment is already standing at a six-year record, as Britons are forced on to the dole by migrants happy to work for the £5.05 minimum wage.
Home Office figures revealed almost 450,000 migrants from the former Eastern Bloc have registered to work here since the EU's controversial expansion on May 1, 2004.
The 447,000 total does not even include partners, children or self-employed workers.
Immigration Minister Tony McNulty admitted this means true number of Eastern Europeans who have moved here since May 1, 2004, is likely to be 600,000.
The Home Office had predicted between 5,000 and 13,000 a year. The actual figure is 23 times higher. The influx shows no sign of slowing. There were almost 50,000 new arrivals in April, May and June this year.
It came as a separate Government report revealed Labour's 'open door' policy is irreversibly changing the British population.
Last year, 179,000 foreigners were given permanent settlement to live in the UK - an increase of 29 per cent.
It takes the total number of overseas nationals granted permission to spend the rest of their lives here - and apply for a British passport - to more than one million since Labour came to power.
The main beneficiaries were migrants from the Asian sub-continent, including India and Pakistan (83,740), and Africa (54,000). This has been the case every year. The main reasons are successful asylum claims, employment and joining family members.
Furthermore, the number of non-EU citizens given work permits last year was 137,000, an increase of 13 per cent.
It shows that, despite the huge influx from eastern Europe, there has been no cut in the numbers allowed in from the rest of the world.
Over the past two years, the number of migrants granted permission to live or work in the UK - including settlement grants and eastern Europeans - is more than one million.
Immigration debate
The revelations added new fuel to the immigration debate - which has put the Government under huge pressure to restrict the numbers pouring in.
It has hinted at - but not committed to - preventing Bulgaria and Romania having free access when they sign-up to the EU next year. Business leaders and politicians said the case for imposing restrictions was now overwhelming. Unchecked, an estimated 620,000 could head here, according to the Open Europe think-tank.
In 2004, the UK was one of only three Governments not to restrict movement to nationals of the EU's eight new members, including Poland.
Ministers said they would receive only limited benefits, but figures revealed payments are being made to a staggering 42,620 of those who have registered to work - almost one in ten.
These include 27,280 child benefit payments, worth £17.45 a week for a first child and £11.70 for any others. The total bill, based on each claimant having an average two children, could be as much as £41million.
Tax credits, worth £1,320 a year for a single man on the minimum wage, and family tax credits, worth up to £5,000 for a migrant with a child, are being paid to 14,009 people. It would give a minimum bill of around £18million.
The eastern Europeans are also in receipt of income support, Jobseekers' Allowance, pension credit and even 110 council houses. Others are staying in bed and breakfast accomodation, at taxpayers' expense.
The number in receipt of benefits has increased five-fold in the past year. During the first year after the former Eastern Bloc workers were allowed in, only 7,000 were receiving state handouts.
One of the main reasons is that, after working in the UK for 12 months, a Government-imposed block on some benefits is lifted. Migrants are allowed to claim tax credits from day one, but more are now applying.
It will fuel concerns that immigrants could become a drain on the economy, as well as putting enormous pressure on schools and other public services.
The Home Office insists they are 'making few demands on our welfare system'.
But shadow immigration minister Damian Green said: 'It is disturbing if people are arriving here and finding themselves on benefits so soon because it means some recent immigration has not been about filling job vacancies.'
Unemployment last week soared to its highest level for more than six years fuelled by the influx of eastern European immigrants.
The rate of unemployment in Britain is going up faster than in any other major European country, with nearly 1.7million out of work.
The 447,000 figure for eastern Europeans includes only those who have applied to join the Home Office's worker registration scheme. Around 425,000 have been approved, though the rest are free to stay here and work anyway.
The register does not include the self-employed. For example, only 835 childminders, 190 plumbers and 195 plasterers have signed-up. This is fewer than can be found in many London boroughs.
Mr McNulty said the figure would be nearer 600,000 if self-employed workers were included.
Of those on the register, the vast majority are Poles (264,560), followed by Lithuanians (50,535) and Slovakians (44,300).
The demand for restrictions on Bulgaria and Romania was last night growing across Whitehall.
Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton is leading demands within Government. A source close to Mr Hutton said last night: 'He is privately very alive to the case to treat Romania and Bulgaria differently.
'Partly it's the levels of wages and unemployment in these countries, partly it would be a second wave when obviously we have had one substantial wave.'
Former Labour minister Frank Field, who was the first MP to call for access rights of Romanians and Bulgarians to be restricted, said an open door immigration policy was not sensible or sustainable.
'We should move to a quota system whereby employers make out the case that they can't find local workers,' he said.
Moderate Labour MP Ann Cryer, a member of the Commons home affairs committee, said: 'I think it's clear that we should not be entering into any more agreements with any Eastern European countries to take an unlimited number of people in.
'It could well drive down wages in this country. We have got to draw a line.
Migrationwatch chairman Sir Andrew Green said: 'There is clearly a continuing massive flow of migrants from Eastern Europe.
'The case for placing restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians is now unanswerable.'
CBI director-general Richard Lambert said: 'The UK has benefited greatly from the hard work of migrants from new accession countries. But it is only right that the UK takes the time to reflect on the earlier experiences and debates how and when to welcome the next phase of EU accession countries.'
One thinks the government could shut off the benefits and discourage the immigration........
These people, depending on the government they are, may be the ones that 'save' UK from being an Islamic country in the future.
But ofcourse they will continue to let in muslims in by the plane load.
Gah, beat me to it. This could be the only thing that can save the British from the Muzzies.
of 600,000 Poles in the country approximately 700 are claiming welfare benefits.
More please
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