Thaindian News

London, Jan 20 (IANS) Over 370,000 migrants who were admitted to Britain to work, study or go on holiday are now claiming out-of-work benefits, the daily Telegraph reported Friday.

The migrants, who can claim unemployment, housing and incapacity benefit, are costing taxpayers billions of pounds a year. In other countries, many would have had to return home after their visas expired or their employment ended, it said.

Chris Bryant, shadow immigration minister, Friday blamed the government and said the situation would only get worse due to lax border controls, rising migration and increasing unemployment.

He said: “Tory ministers are resorting to rhetoric and misinformation to hide the reality of their failures on immigration and unemployment.”

The figures are likely to reopen the debate over the generosity of the welfare system amid growing concerns that the country has become a destination for “benefit tourists”.

In the past, the nationality of benefit claimants has not been recorded. Ministers ordered a comparison of records held by the UK Border Agency, Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs.

The analysis found there were 371,000 foreign-born claimants for out-of-work benefits, out of a total 5.5 million recipients. Of these, 258,000 were from outside the European Economic Area.

The analysis found that the highest number of migrants on benefits originally came from Pakistan, Somalia and India. Bangladesh, Iraq and Iran also featured prominently. European countries among the top 20 for claimants include Poland, Ireland, France and Italy. The figures will lead to a debate over whether people who had previously paid tax should be given priority for benefits, the newspaper said.

Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to bring non-EU immigration “under control” and a target to reduce those moving to Britain into the “tens of thousands” annually is one of his main policies.