Facts about immigration into the United Kingdom

Myths, rumours and misinformation surround the arrival of new migrants and these can be hard to rebut. However, below are some facts about immigration into the United Kingdom which can be used to discredit many of the more popular myths.

• 427,000 workers from eight EU accession states successfully applied for work in the UK from May 2004 - June 2006. This may sound like a lot, but it represents less than one percent of the UK's population.

Whoooo so much for being swamped by immigrants. 1% we're doomed, doomed I say.

• The UK's population is getting older, meaning that more working age people are needed to prop up the world's fourth largest industrial economy. By 2026 pensioners will outnumber children by two million. Also as immigrants are on average younger than UK-born people, they are less likely to need to claim a pension and will contribute to the economy for a longer period.

Definitely a case for immigration.

• There is a current shortage of highly-skilled people in key sectors such as the NHS, public services and the IT industry which is being met by new migrants.

Many sources indicate the NHS would be in serious trouble without immigration in terms of staffing levels.

• As the UK's population becomes more highly skilled and educated, there will be more and more jobs that people do not want to do because they are viewed as demeaning. All of these factors have come together to create immigration demands.

This is happening now.

• One study by the University of Swansea predicts that we need to increase immigration by a fifth to prevent a population decline caused by a shrinking birth rate and subsequent economic crisis.

Yeah. Hopefully we can increase race mixing so all this silly bloodlines business can be sorted

• The belief that Britain has a particularly high rate of immigration is false. About 5 per cent of the UK population was born abroad. In Germany, the figure is 12.5 per cent; in France, 10 per cent; and in the Netherlands, 10.1 per cent.

Facts about immigration into the United Kingdom - Communities and neighbourhoods - Communities and Local Government