EU migrants who have come to the UK since the year 2000 have made a 'substantial' contribution to public finances, according to a study by University College London.
Migrants who have come to the UK since the year 2000 have made a ‘substantial’ contribution to public finances, according to a study by University College London.
Rather than being a ‘drain’ on the economy, as the media often suggests, their financial contribution had been ‘remarkably strong’, the authors of the report said.
Immigrants who arrived in the UK after 1999 were 45 per cent less likely to receive state benefits or tax credits than UK natives in the period 2000-2011, according to the report by UCL’s Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration. They were also 3 per cent less likely to live in social housing.
Those from the European Economic Area (EEA – the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) had made a particularly strong contribution in the decade up to 2011, contributing 34 per cent more in taxes than they received in benefits.
The study found, however, that between 1995 and 2011 immigrants from non-EEA countries claimed more in benefits than they paid in taxes. In the decade up to 2011 British people also paid 11 per cent less in tax than they received.
The report found that in 2011, 32 per cent of recent EEA immigrants and 43 per cent of non-EEA immigrants had university degrees, compared with 21 per cent of the British adult population.
The research was compiled using data from the British Labour Force Survey and government reports.
11 Responses to “EU migrants make ‘net contribution’ to UK economy”
Cole
I wonder what UKIP types will say in response to this. Still, they’re not generally interested in facts.
fjgjghhjuioiiouuio
First of all that is only EU immigrants non eu immigrants the study found cost the uk £100 billion a fact this article ignores= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487501/How-migrants-outside-Europe-leave-100billion-hole-public-purse-Amount-taken-benefits-services-14-higher-money-back.html
also what about the social cost to UK society which is being eroded or the billions that immigrants send out of the UK or the jobs they have taken from Brits which a government report has admitted is real- http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2013/11/work-have-immigrants-taken-our-jobs.html
Please sign the Daily Express petition to stop EU immigration. Over 75,000 have signed in less than a week. https://petitions.express.co.uk/Say-NO-to-new-EU-migrants
Clempo
You talk about immigrants, well like most of the current UK citizens, you are probably also an immigrant. Whether you like it or not, your forefathers came from either France, Scandinavia, Germany or Europe. The only real citizens of the UK are Celts. As for the Daily Fail, Fauxpress or CON-servative home, do me a favour, news and truth are strangers, they wouldn’t know the truth if it came and hit them on the head. Now be a good boy and go back to Con-Central Office and peddle you lies there.
Roxana
I very much agree with this article – this topic is something I feel strongly about, and we should be focusing on the benefits that migrants bring to our economy, as migrants do make an incredible contribution.
prickyleaks
They might focus on the bit that reads “The study found, however, that between 1995 and 2011 immigrants from non-EEA countries claimed more in benefits than they paid in taxes.” But their case as regards EEA migrants is in big trouble.