> Britain has a very generous welfare system
Its more generous than the USA. but its not generous. You try living on benefits
> 1.15 million foreign born individuals claiming some form of in-work benefit.
Indeed, but working age foreigners are way cheaper than boomer pensioners. The problem is, a large proportion of those foreigner are working to wipe the arses of said pensioners.
Moreover those benefits are a a state subsidy for cheap workers.
> Irrespective of one's views on the migrant question, this is unsustainable. For instance, the National Health System (NHS) has recently been sending patients to Poland and Lithuania to try to relieve pressure on the waiting lists.
Which is ironically unrelated to foreigners.
firsly, if your stuck on a waiting list not being able to work, you're not claiming in work benefits.
second the NHS has been chronically mismanaged for about 14 years, and needs staffing reforms to stop it bleeding staff (and driving up immigration)
thirdly sending people abroad to get treated is cheaper, and should return them to the workforce quicker, so reducing load on the benefits system
Lastly, immigrants are overwhelmingly young and free of chronic diseases. Its super hard to work an emigrate, find and keep a casual job if you need dialysis every week. Moreover, you don't get access to benefits instantly, and you run the risk of going undocumented which means no bank account, no public services and no legitimate housing. Its not like the states where you can carry on as normal. You're basically reduced to living on the streets or at the hands of organised crime.