British government defends immigration plans despite EU criticism

John Springford of the CER, says that these migrants will come to the UK to work – rather than to claim benefits.“Central and Eastern European migrants are much less likely to take up benefits than the UK population. A very, very small number take up benefits immediately upon arrival, or even within a year of arrival. Clamping down, as Cameron is preparing to do, on benefit eligibility, for central and eastern European migrants soon after arrival is unlikely to make much difference. And we know that the vast majority of people come to work. They’re not particularly interested in coming and taking up unemployment benefits." He says that there’s unlikely to be a mass influx of unskilled Bulgarian and Romanian workers in January – given their relatively small populations – and suggests that their arrival may even benefit the UK economy.