High levels of immigration over the past 10 years have been good for the UK economy, according to a new report from The Work Foundation. 

Both inflation and interest rates have been lower as a result, skills and labour shortages have been avoided and the economy has been kept on a stable growth path. Even allowing for a more uncertain economic outlook, the government should embrace the case for free movement across the European Union and enable the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania to work in the UK.
 
The report debunks the myths about the impact of migration on employment and wages.
 
It shows that wages have not fallen because migrants are willing to work for less – including in key sectors such as construction and hotels. The rising National Minimum Wage has protected the most vulnerable and established a strong pay floor in the labour market.
 
There has been no significant impact on unemployment, including youth unemployment. If there are any ‘losers’ they are to be found among the ‘workless households’ (families where no working age adult has a job) and amongst an earlier generation of migrant workers.
 
David Coats, associate director of policy and author of the report, said: ‘The government has had a hard time over immigration not because it has ‘lost control’ of the issue, but because it has failed to tell a compelling story based on consistent high quality information. The official statistics are so haphazard that the government finds it difficult to defend otherwise good policies."