Emma Webb: ‘People who have paid into the system their entire lives are having to prop up low-skilled migrants – It’s WRONG!’
Emma Webb, speaking on GB News, highlighted recent findings from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) regarding the cost of low-skilled migrants to UK taxpayers.
“This is about low skilled migrants. Over the course of their lives, it has been found that taxpayers will pay £150,000 per migrant over the course of their lives up to retirement age”, Webb stated.
She added, “That goes up to £1 million per person if they live to 100. Obviously people are living longer so that number keeps going up.”
Webb emphasised that this contrasts with skilled migrants, who she says often benefit the taxpayer due to being educated elsewhere.
The OBR report reveals stark contrasts between low-paid migrants and British-born workers. By age 66, a low-paid migrant arriving at 25 and earning half the UK average wage costs an estimated £151,000 to the public purse.
This figure rises to nearly £500,000 if they live to 80, and over £1 million if they reach 100.
In comparison, British-born workers are expected to generate a surplus of £280,000 by pension age, even after accounting for health and education spending.
David Miles of the OBR told The Telegraph: “The characteristics of migrants, in terms of their earnings and how long they stay, are as important, if not more important, than the absolute numbers.”
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While low-paid migrants are shown to be a fiscal burden, the OBR’s report highlights the benefits of attracting highly-paid migrants to the UK. Workers earning 30 per cent more than the average salary could contribute a net £925,000 to the Treasury by state pension age.
The government has recently taken steps to address concerns over low-skilled migration. The minimum salary requirement for a Skilled Worker visa was increased from £26,200 to £38,700.
Additionally, migrants were banned from bringing dependents when arriving in the UK on a visa. These measures aim to reduce the influx of low-skilled workers and their potential long-term cost to the taxpayer.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to end “sky high” migration figures, though he has not set a specific target. He warned that employers have become “too reliant” on overseas workers and should prioritise recruiting British workers.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has expressed support for “some further restrictions on visas” introduced by the Government.
Emma Webb criticised the current situation, stating: “It is not fair that those who paid into the system for their entire lives are having to prop up unskilled migrants who have come in under a system British people have consistently voted against. It’s wrong.”