Or in other words, it's because of economic migration. Not the often quoted and disproven 'take advantage of welfare and services' stuff that certain papers se

Or in other words, it's because of economic migration. Not the often quoted and disproven 'take advantage of welfare and services' stuff that certain papers seem to go on about, but the somewhat accurate concern that some of the people coming are being taken advantage of by unscrupulous employers who pay less than anyone born here would accept (but which is seen as a somewhat 'reasonable' wage in less well off countries). So you get situations where 'low skilled' jobs pay peanuts, but end up being taken by people who send the money back abroad where the amount is more valuable than in the UK. It can sometimes lead to people from poorer backgrounds not getting these basic jobs because the employers know they'll want a wage they can actually live on. That said, that's not really an issue with immigration specifically; anyone who immigrates to the area and knows about the minimum wage and decent working conditions will also find it more difficult to get a job.