16. Many migrants might work hard but, when they work at or close to the minimum wage, as is the case for nearly half of those from Eastern Europe, they pay very little in tax and many will make no contribution at all. Research claiming that recent EEA migrants contribute far more than they receive critically failed to take any account of income levels in estimating the cost of the means-tested benefits. In fact, as this paper shows, those with families may receive far more from the taxpayer in cash benefits than they pay in tax and National Insurance.
This is absolutely correct. If we are speaking of European-EU people who come here to work, unless they are professional class they do tend to be semi-skilled and therefore probaby pull in £320 for a 40 hr week. They are eligible for working tax credits, pension credits, housing benefit, reduced CTax, etc. They are not net contributors and the sooner this is acknowledged the better.
They are here to make some money, experience a better standard of life but their presence, although helpful, is not filling up the exchequer.
If we are speaking of EU people who originally came from outside of Europe, lived in Europe for a few years in order to get their papers and then moved to the UK, then you are looking at mostly unskilled. Some have never worked for longer than a few months, some have never worked since arriving in the EU.
At the moment they have the right under Freedom of Movement to move here and become claimants from Day 1. Those with children can apply for housing here while still in Europe.