The £24 million cost of EU integration
It has been revealed that 50,000 children living outside of the UK are receiving child benefits funded by the UK taxpayer. While there have been no figures released with regards to the overall cost it is estimated the figure is in the region of £24 million based upon the £20 a week payment for the first child and £13.20 for additional children. So where is all the money going?
Figures released by the UK government show that nearly 30,000 children in Portland are receiving child benefit, 2500 in Slovakia and 2300 in France. Under the EU's free movement directive it is now possible for the population of any EU member state to move to another EU member state for employment and also sign up to the local benefits system. As the UK has perhaps one of the most lucrative benefit systems in the world it is no surprise to see a large influx of overseas workers who are perfectly entitled, under EU regulations, to claim payments such as child benefit.
At a time when the UK population is literally struggling to make ends meet it is rather bizarre to find out that over £20 million is being paid out to children who have probably never even set foot in the UK. However, this is the EU which the UK and other member states have signed up to with many believing a federal Europe is just around the corner.
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