Surge of Romanians 'could hit schools and hospitals': Fears migrants coming to Britain will put huge pressure of public services



Major report by the Institute for Public Policy Research gave a warning

Said that London and the South East will be particularly at risk

There could also be more aggressive begging, anti-social behaviour, rough sleeping and criminality from the new year, when restrictions are lifted



Romanian and Bulgarian migrants coming to Britain in the New Year could put huge pressure on housing, schools and hospitals, a major report warns today.



The study by the centre-left Institute for Public Policy Research says most of the new arrivals will settle in London and the South East – meaning public services in these areas will be most affected.



It warns that Britain could see an increase in anti-social behaviour, aggressive begging, rough sleeping and criminality from next week.



Under fire: The report from the Institute for Public Policy Research said that David Cameron's changes to benefit rules - designed to discourage migrants - are 'largely symbolic'

And it says David Cameron’s much heralded changes to benefits rules are ‘largely symbolic’ and will make little or no difference.



The report will ratchet up the pressure on ministers ahead of January 1, when the remaining controls on working rights for nationals of the two countries will expire.



Mr Cameron has resisted calls to face down the EU and extend the controls, despite opinion polls showing huge public support for such a move.

The report calls for ‘urgent action’ to deal with the wider housing crisis. It states: ‘Future migration to the UK from Bulgaria and Romania is likely to place added pressure on the lower-end of the private rented sector, particularly in the areas of London and the South East where most Romanian and Bulgarian migrants currently live and where housing is already in high demand.’



The report warns schools – which are already facing huge pressure due to existing population growth – and hospitals will also bear the brunt of a surge in numbers.



‘In the short term, the need for extra school places and additional usage of NHS services in some areas are likely to be the main consequences,’ it says.



It concludes that crime could increase because Romanians are ‘disproportionately reflected’ in the crime statistics.



Crime: The report says lawbreaking could increase as Romanians are 'disproportionately reflected' in crime statistics. Pictured are two Romanian travellers with a policeman in London's Park Lane

They are second only to Poles in terms of foreign national arrests since 2008 – despite being far fewer in number.



The report warns of potential problems with ‘anti-social behaviour (including aggressive begging), rough sleeping and even criminality’.



It is scathing about the changes to benefit rules, which were much heralded by Downing Street. They will mean EU migrants cannot claim out-of-work benefits for three months after arriving.



The political response, it says, has been ‘more symbolic than substantive’ – and it accuses ministers of ‘rushing through last minute measures limiting access to entitlements’.

Ministers should set up a dedicated fund of millions of pounds and use it to help communities where pressure on public services is particularly acute, the report says.

It is published as Mr Cameron faces criticism from the president of Bulgaria over efforts to restrict future EU migration.



Rosen Plevneliev accused the PM of trying to build an ‘iron curtain’ in Europe and pandering to nationalist sentiment.



In an interview with the Observer newspaper, he called on Britain to stay true to its legacy as ‘a great global power that pioneered integration’.

Mr Plevneliev added: ‘Isolating Great Britain and damaging Britain’s reputation is not the right history to write.’