EU migrants more likely to be in work than UK nationals, study finds

Migrants from the EU are more likely to be in work than people from the UK but claim more in-work benefits, a study has found.

According to analysis published today by the Institute for Public Policy Research, the UK now has the second-highest in-flow of EU migrants in the EU.

But the think tank said that, in terms of people coming into the UK, “a large majority of European migrants are in work, but they are more likely than the general workforce to claim in-work benefits”.

The research found that 83 per cent of Eastern European migrants and 75 per cent of migrants from other EU countries are employed here, compared to 74 per cent of UK nationals, and 62 per cent of non-EU migrants.

Eastern European migrants tend to work in low-skilled sectors, such as food processing and machinery operation, doing temporary or agency work, and are paid on average £3 per hour less than UK nationals.

EU migrants are more likely to claim tax credits and child benefit than UK nationals, but less likely to be receiving jobseeker’s allowance and other out-of-work benefits such as disability and sickness benefits, the analysis found.

Migrants from the EU are as likely to live in social housing as others in the UK, but a higher proportion of them are privately renting. But, they are four times more likely to be living in overcrowded accommodation, according to the research.

On average, EU migrants were also more qualified than British residents, with 59 per cent holding university or college qualifications, compared to 34 per cent of the latter.

Marley Morris, IPPR research fellow, said the think tank’s research “paints a mixed picture” of how EU migration has impacted the UK.

He said: “A large majority of EU migrants are in work and so are paying taxes rather than living off out-of-work benefits, but they are also more likely to be claiming in-work benefits than others in the workforce.

“Many Eastern Europeans, despite their qualifications, are working in low-skilled sectors at low pay rates, which may be helping to plug some labour shortages but might also be sustaining low wages and poor conditions in some workplaces.

“Our analysis also suggests that EU migrants are more likely than others to live in the private rented sector, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t able to access scarce social housing. In fact their likelihood of living in social housing is about the same as the general population.”

The findings are taken from the IPPR’s new study, Free Movement and the EU Referendum.

A referendum on whether Britain should remain in the EU is to be held on Thursday 23 June.