Quote:
Originally Posted by danielf
Cheers for that!
Having lived in one of the top 10 countries, my perception of the UK benefits system is indeed anything but generous. In the Netherlands you're guaranteed a % of your last income (80% for the first, then 60% for the second year, at the time), provided you've worked for at least half a year (IIRC). Having said that, this is unemployment insurance, and the actual dole after your insurance runs out, is not so generous at ~700 Euros per month for a single person household.
Having said that, people are prepared to pay for this system through their taxation. Something I don't see the Brits approving of. Particularly since lower earners are more likely to use the safety net, and the system effectively means that higher earners subsidise lower earners.
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It's a combination of things which makes the UK atractive for migrants, illegal or otherwise. Generosity in absolute cash terms is hard to assess and all relative, but what we have here are certain systems and benefits that are relatively easy to claim and easy to abuse (and that includes the indigenous population by the way). As has already been discussed, child benefit is one such benefit that can easily equate to an annual salary in certain E. European countries and the children don't even have to be living here. It's not a huge amount to you or I but a vast sum to these people and if they have kids it's automatic. The shambolic immigration system and the rights asylum seekers enjoy here also means that it's easy for people to overstay and disappear into the black economy. We know large numbers have done this and many overstay for years before they're caught so clearly the system isn't rigorous enough. Even when they're caught if they've married, had children etc. they will in all probability not be deported so yet again the system encourages people to break the rules and can be an easy touch.
It's not just the cash which makes any country attractive to migrants, it's how easily things can be obtained, what protections are offered, what support services there are, how easily they can disappear (in large cities like London for example) and/or get work, how effective the relevant border authorities are at doing their jobs, how rigorous the checks to avoid sham marriages, ID fraud and so on are etc. etc. We can compare ourseves with other countries until the cows come home but I don't see queues of migrants trying to get out of here or jumping out of their lorries in Europe so they don't wind up on the UK. These people often don't speak any English so for these people it's not even a common language which makes the UK appealing. I believe the combination of good, relatively easily obtained benefits/welfare and shambolic policing of immigration in general is what makes the UK a soft touch and that's not to deny that some migrants can have a very tough time here.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle6702471.ece