Thousands Of Illegal Workers Claiming Benefits In Gt Britain

It has recently been discovered that the previous Labour government allowed some 155K illegal immigrants to be able to qualify not only for sickness benfits but also maternity pay.

The the cost to the UK tax payer has been estimated to run into "tens of millions of pounds".

There can be no doubt that this total shambles is a very critical indictment of how Labour completely lost control of not only the immigration systems but also the benefit systems as well.

To help resolve matters It is anticipated that Ian Duncan Smith the Work and Pensions Secretary will stop this practice by bringing in new welfare reform legislation early next week.

It is believed that those who are exploiting the system for financial gain came to Gt Britain for a short time span and then stayed on after their visa had expired.

Many illegal immigrants probably obtained employment with out having a work permit.

At the moment if someone was in Gt Britain illegally they would be able to claim ESA which is Employment and Support Allowance which is paid to those to ill to work and be in a position to claim sick pay and maternity and paternity pay.

Quite unbelievably the Department of Work & Pensions had not previously asked to examine work permits when approving claims for ESA.

Apparently under the previous Labour government hundreds of thousands of National Insurance numbers were given out to illegal workers as there was no requirement to ensure if the person was in the UK legally.

Naturally many employers incorrectly belived that having a National Insurance number meant that they were legally in the country.

Employers also have not had to show any proof that employees are in the UK legally when making claims for maternity or paternity pay and sick pay.

This is beyond belief that people who are not eligible to be employed in the UK are able to get benefits which are a direct substitute for earnings.

This is a clear example of how the British welfare system has been allowed by the previous Labour government to get totally out of kilter.

Work permits showing that workers are here legally will be needed for ESA claims or an employer will require to have one if processing claims on behalf of employees.

Rather than expelling illegal workers the last Labour government was prepared to pay out welfare benefits to some 155,000 people who had plainly overstayed their visa entitlement.

I am a great believer in a welfare system but obviously it should be one that is prudently run and administered so that benefits are paid out to those who are properly entitled and their familes have paid into the welfare system.

It just can not be right just to allow any person to claim in the foolish hope perhaps that an over generous welfare system will buy votes.


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The author writes many articles on income taxes and for more detailed information please go to Ed Miliband Labour