Residents protest against plans to open
a centre for asylum seekers in Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire.
The UK actually receives less asylum applications per head of
population than many other Western European countries
(PA/EMPICS)
Immigration myths
Myth Immigrants jump housing queues and live
in squalid, overcrowded housing.
Fact Most immigrants live in cities that contain
plenty of empty houses – London alone has 70,000.
Myth Immigrants take ‘English’ jobs.
Fact Asylum seekers can’t work or pay tax until
their cases are sorted out. And immigrants contribute 10% more
to the economy in tax and national insurance than they take in
benefits and services, says a Home Office study.
Myth Immigrants are draining health and social
services.
Fact Most asylum seekers are only entitled to
emergency health care. And our hospitals rely on immigrant labour:
nearly a quarter of NHS doctors and half of all NHS nurses were
born outside the UK. Despite there being 90,000 vacancies in health
and social care, thousands of refugees with appropriate skills
are prevented from working here. And of the 15.5 million people
in the UK on benefits, excluding retirement pensions, only 0.5%
are asylum seekers.
Myth Immigrants are to blame for rising crime.
Fact Immigrants are more likely to be the victims
of crime. A 2004 report showed a 75% increase in racist attacks
in Scotland alone. Refugees and asylum seekers were the main targets. |
