A £22m smack in the mouth

By Dan Evans, 17/01/2010

BENEFIT bosses have blown £22MILLION on translators for immigrants to claim state handouts, the News of the World can reveal.

A staggering £81,000 of taxpayers' cash every WEEK is spent helping those with bad English decipher our benefits system.

Last year alone the bill for interviews and translating documents rocketed to £4.25million - a 63 per cent increase from £2.63million in six years.

And last night Sir Andrew Green of Migration Watch stormed: "It's absurd that taxpayers should pay out these huge sums.

"We have one national language and if people want to live and work here they should learn it."

The rise is embarrassing for the Government after it vowed in 2007 to cut translation costs, with then Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform Jim Murphy saying: "Surely, where possible, we should focus on language skills to get people into work?"

The huge bill proves thousands of immigrants with poor English are pocketing benefits, while the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) admits numbers of ethnic minorities in employment are "unacceptably low".

In the last six years, 169,000 immigrants claimed unemployment benefit within six months of getting a National Insurance number - 21,160 last year alone, costing £1.4MILLION a week.

A DWP spokesman said: "Translation services are vitally important to improve efficiency."

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This article has 3 comments

If you're self-employed, you pay a different class of National Insurance. The Benefits people don't count this towards your contributions. I know it's crazy - especially as people can come into this country without paying anything in taxes and get benefits.

By Charlie.. Posted January 20 2010 at 1:20 AM.

I am virtually in the same position as "Ian" - posted Jan 17. I am 49, have worked, paid taxes and NI for virtualy all of my working life. Last June I became ill and as a result, lost my job (was too ill to work anyway). when I went to claim benefits I was told that in the two qualifying years I had not paid enough NI contributions and therefore, despite paying NI for 27 years, I was not entitled to any form of benefits. I could, of course claim on the basis of "low income", but because my partner works for more than 16 hours a week , we are not entitled on that basis either.
I did approach my MP, who simply quoted the rules too me.
This is a ridiculous situation, where the "benefits" system caters for people wh haven't paid a penny in tax or NI, but refuses to help people who have.
Any help would be appreciated.

By Mike.. Posted January 17 2010 at 10:16 AM.

How Can this be...
Just before christmas I recieved some work related injuries. I am 41 years old,self employed, pay my income tax as most people do. I have paid NI contributions all my working life although I have lapsed in the last 2 years of contributions, which will be paid up this year.
So how is it I get refused to have sick benefit or the equivalent of this. Refused on the grounds that I have not paid enough NI over the last 2 years. I also still do not know if I will get any help with housing or council tax benefits. On this matter I am still waiting to hear.
So how can it be that some people who have only been in this country a short time can recieve all the benefits going.
I would be gratefull if someone could help me understand this.
Maybe i should approach my local MP as i feel this is discrimination or a breach of my human rights!!

By Ian.. Posted January 17 2010 at 12:32 AM.

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