According to a report by BBC UK, a recent study indicates that immigrants who have arrived in the UK since 2000 have made a "significant contribution" to the British economy. Research from University College London shows that, compared to UK-born citizens, new immigrants are less likely to claim welfare benefits or social housing. The authors of the report state that rather than being a "burden," new immigrants have made a "significant" contribution.
The report compared individual data on welfare claims between 2000 and 2011, finding that the number of immigrants who arrived in the UK after 1999 claiming benefits was 45% lower than that of UK-born citizens. The number of those living in social housing was also 3% lower.
The report states that immigrants from the European Economic Area (the EU plus Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) have made a particularly notable contribution to the UK economy over the past decade, with their tax contributions exceeding welfare receipts by 34%.
During the same period, immigrants from outside the European Economic Area also contributed 2% more in taxes than they received in benefits. In contrast, UK-born citizens received 11% more in benefits than they contributed in taxes during the same period.
In 2011, 32% of immigrants from the European Economic Area and 43% of immigrants from outside the European Economic Area held university degrees, whereas only 21% of the UK adult population possessed equivalent qualifications.