BASHING REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS

There wasn't much time for the new Danish Government to do anything before going off for the Parliamentary summer holiday. But one thing they rushed through was a scheme to cut in half the benefits given to refugees and asylum seekers.

Denmark gets quite a lot of asylum seekers. Per million of its population there were 2,615 in 2014, well above the E.U. average of 1,237, and on a par with Germany (though less than Hungary, with 4,331 and much less than neighbouring Sweden with 8,432). Politicians say that they come to Denmark because of the high level of benefits here. This is not really true. Hungary has much lower levels of benefits, and has a lot more asylum seekers. So too does neighbouring Germany, and it has more than 10 times as many asylum seekers in absolute terms. But the idea that asylum seekers are really just scrounging foreigners bleeding a rich society dry plays well amongst some sections of the population, and doing something about it was one of the main themes of the general election campaign.

The change cuts the benefit for refugees and asylum seekers in half, to the same level as that for students. However, this is a false comparison, since students get access to cheap accommodation and transport, can work without losing benefits, can take out loans to top up their benefits, and (crucially) often get help from their parents. None of these are available to asylum seekers.

The consensus amongst those who work with refugees is that they don't come to Denmark because of the level of benefits; other factors such as free healthcare and schooling are much more important. So cutting benefits will not limit the stream, it will simply make the people who do come poorer than they otherwise would have been. The new benefit level is, after all, well below Denmark's official poverty line.

Furthermore, although the measure affects only new applicants, the Government will after the summer holiday seek to apply it retrospectively to any refugees who have been in the country for seven years or less. That will have absolutely nothing to do with limiting the stream of newcomers, but will be a straight cut. This will not be good.

Walter Blotscher