Lika rättigheter eller social turism?

Finansdepartementet i Storbritannien har räknat ut att staten betalar ut barnbidrag till 51 000 barn som inte bor i landet. Nästan 38 000 av barnen bor i Polen. Anledningen är EU-regler. Om en arbetstagare från EU betalar skatt i ett land måste det landet stå för barnbidrag till barn som lämnats kvar i hemlandet om partnern i hemlandet inte arbetar.

Ania Heasley, who runs the Ania's Poland website, which helps Poles settle in Britain, said the payments were a big incentive to people considering moving to Britain to work.

"The typical scenario is that the father comes to the UK and works here, and if he is the main breadwinner or declares himself financially responsible then even if his child lives in Poland he can claim child benefit and will get the full amount," she said.

"It is much much less in Poland, which is why they apply here.

"There was an outcry before about children who have never set foot in Britain getting these benefits and the reaction was that it couldn't be true, but it is true and thousands of people do it.

"They feel it is their right, they are taking advantage of the rules that are there. They are not doing anything illegal; this is there for the taking.

"Originally people were surprised and said 'This is great,' but now there is so much information in Poland about the benefits that they all know about it.

"In Poland the benefits are getting less and less, but the advice when coming over to Britain is that you can add that to your salary. They are so happy about the welfare system."