Migrants not entitled to benefits
Migrants not entitled to benefits
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Discussion

PeteinSQ

Original Poster:

2,346 posts

234 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
I saw an article in the ft concerning the fact that (some?) migrants are not entitled to benefits if they lose their jobs. Of course right now lots of people on the verge of losing their jobs so this is suddenly more of an issue than ot was.

The example they give is of a married couple from Pakistan who moved here as students 15 years ago. They have two kids. The mum works as a teaching assistant and the dad just lost his job at a marketing agency. At least ten years of paying taxes and NI and not entitled to benefits - wtf?

https://www.ft.com/content/bedca1a9-2de6-4072-95c8...

TCX

1,976 posts

79 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
And the problem is?
It's ok saying they've paid tax for a certain period of time,my family have paid it for generations
Just goes to show how close some people are to poverty,but then I'm currently getting no benefits,never had any in 38 years since left school,I'm not complaining,perhaps they'd prefer to return 'home'?

PeteinSQ

Original Poster:

2,346 posts

234 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
My problem is that they've lived here 15 years. Pretty sure this is home now.

Plenty of British families never pay a penny into the system and claim loads.

Pachydermus

1,117 posts

136 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
PeteinSQ said:
At least ten years of paying taxes and NI and not entitled to benefits - wtf?
because in all that time they haven't bothered to get permanent residence/citizenship. The article states clearly that they're here on work visas so unless you think anyone who rocks up here with some sort of visa should be able to claim benefits, why should they?

PrinceRupert

11,613 posts

109 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
This will be a fun thread given the types that inhabit PH. Mildly racist comment in the first response, bravo.

PeteinSQ

Original Poster:

2,346 posts

234 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
Pachydermus said:
because in all that time they haven't bothered to get permanent residence/citizenship. The article states clearly that they're here on work visas so unless you think anyone who rocks up here with some sort of visa should be able to claim benefits, why should they?
I guess I'm surprised there isn't some sort of threshold. In fact I'd say if you're not entitled to benefits perhaps you should get a tax rebate as clearly you're not entitled to something you've paid for.

Pachydermus

1,117 posts

136 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
PeteinSQ said:
Pachydermus said:
because in all that time they haven't bothered to get permanent residence/citizenship. The article states clearly that they're here on work visas so unless you think anyone who rocks up here with some sort of visa should be able to claim benefits, why should they?
I guess I'm surprised there isn't some sort of threshold. In fact I'd say if you're not entitled to benefits perhaps you should get a tax rebate as clearly you're not entitled to something you've paid for.
in that case I guess you'll be even more suprised to learn that some visas have an nhs surcharge even if you're working and paying a boatload of tax.

PeteinSQ

Original Poster:

2,346 posts

234 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
Pachydermus said:
in that case I guess you'll be even more suprised to learn that some visas have an nhs surcharge even if you're working and paying a boatload of tax.
You're right I would. Which s thought that up?

hyphen

26,262 posts

114 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
Pachydermus said:
because in all that time they haven't bothered to get permanent residence/citizenship.
Unfortunately that cuts to the point.

Anyone who has been here 5 years, I believe, can apply for citizenship.

And most home countries allow dual citizenship with the UK.

It is surprising that they did not do so.

However in view of Covid, and 15 years here, something should be done as an exception perhaps, if struggling.

Also regardless of benefit qualification, I imagine with 2 kids the council would ensure they did not become homeless.

voyds9

8,490 posts

307 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
If they had naturalised would this still have been a problem

Or is the fact that are still nationals of a foreign country the problem

rxe

6,700 posts

127 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
PeteinSQ said:
My problem is that they've lived here 15 years. Pretty sure this is home now.

Plenty of British families never pay a penny into the system and claim loads.
Yes, they’ve been here a long time, but if it was home, they would have got citizenship. They didn’t, and presumably just extended their visas. Work visas are pretty clear - no work, no residency. I work with a guy who came here at roughly the same time, 5 years ago he got citizenship because he bothered to fill out a form and learn the answers to a silly test (and presumably paid some money). He’s in a completely different position.

Yes, we have plenty of home grown wasters, but the rules say we have to clothe and feed them.


abzmike

11,478 posts

130 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
But Nigel said all these people are coming over here and getting jobs and houses and using the world health service...

PeteinSQ

Original Poster:

2,346 posts

234 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
Well one interesting aspect of this is that morons have been lied to for years that immigrants have been coming here to leach off benefits. Turns out they're not entitled to them even when they've paid more in tax than a whole troop of flag waving Brexit party voting gimps. Who knew it would all have been a lie?

i4got

5,928 posts

102 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
If I moved to another country and didn't take up residency, I'd be pretty happy to pay £400 a year to get free treatment on their health service.

amazing driver

270 posts

73 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
Guess they'll have to go back home then ??

PeteinSQ

Original Poster:

2,346 posts

234 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
Wow I would never have guessed this forum was full of such delightful people full of compassion for their fellow man.

Just to add. I hope those of you with views like that are the first to lose your jobs and or businesses through all this.

voyds9

8,490 posts

307 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
PeteinSQ said:
Wow I would never have guessed this forum was full of such delightful people full of compassion for their fellow man.

Just to add. I hope those of you with views like that are the first to lose your jobs and or businesses through all this.
That's alright, I know where 2 jobs are just about to become available

scrubchub

1,844 posts

164 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
PrinceRupert said:
This will be a fun thread given the types that inhabit PH. Mildly racist comment in the first response, bravo.


"Mildly" clearly isn't strong enough.

More proof that this part of Pistonheads is an absolute sewer, filled to the brim with some genuinely unpleasant people.

anonymous-user

78 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
Out of interest how does the UK compare with other nations in terms of providing benefits to people on work visas? Anyone know?

Slagathore

6,184 posts

216 months

Monday 18th May 2020
quotequote all
PeteinSQ said:
Well one interesting aspect of this is that morons have been lied to for years that immigrants have been coming here to leach off benefits. Turns out they're not entitled to them even when they've paid more in tax than a whole troop of flag waving Brexit party voting gimps. Who knew it would all have been a lie?
Do you feel better now? You clearly started the thread so you could make that point.