A question of numbers

[Suff]

Today the story has broken in the Telegraph, yet again, that the ONS immigration numbers do not match the amount of NI numbers issued to foreign nationals.

Sim[ply put the ONS has told us that since 2010 there have been 900k EU nationals arriving in the UK, but the DWP have issued 2.25 Million NI numbers in the same period.

Granted that there could have been net inflows and net outflows which account for this, but the ONS is supposed to allow for that. Also there could have been international migrants to count for this.

So...

However in 2015, there were 617k total, eu and non eu, arrivals according to the ONS, but DWP issued 828k NI numbers. Whilst there is not a direct match in the months, it is much harder to argue that there were 200,000 people "transient" in some way in a single year.

I smell fear. Someone fears they will be smeared with a government BS campaign and want the real, true, figures out there before the people decide. Because if, as was proven in the Scottish referendum, the lies are overturned shortly after, someone is going to be in the firing line.

It looks to me that those in the firing line are digging hard for facts and are demanding that the facts match... It may be true, but someone is going to have to explain the discrepancy.

Because, to me, this looks suspiciously like the difference between the current all time high "in work" figures and the "not contributing to the economy" figures which keep on climbing almost directly proportional to the increased "in work" figures....

[cruiser2]

I was shown how to prove 1 equals 2.
It is mathematically correct using algebra.
So the figures put out by ONS and DWP may be correct.
Do the figures show if any have been issued to those under 16 years of age as they should still be at school.

[Workingman]

I have never understood this NI numbers thing. How is it possible to have a 'fake' NI number, as has been shown on some TV programmes dealing with such things as benefits fraud etc.? Is the database of the numbers not monitored?

Why don't we have one type for UK nationals and a different sort for 'transient' populations?

A time-limited temp NI number, if needed, is issued to a foreign national when they enter the UK and handed back when they leave. If it is not handed back it is assumed that they are still here and have exceeded their permission to stay, that allows them to be found and removed, but once time is up it becomes defunct and cannot be used any further.

[Kaz]

Are these NI numbers for everyone, or just for foreigners? There must have been quite a few UK youngsters getting numbers in that time. My youngest gets his any time now.

[Suff]

Don't add common sense to this.

Also, remember, that under EU rules and "uman wights", we're not allowed to single them out and treat them differently. A.K.A their benefits. Those were the exact words they used.

So, conversely, we're not allowed to have a different NI scheme for them and not allowed to "break them out".

Just another reason I'm a leaver....

[Suff]

Are these NI numbers for everyone, or just for foreigners? There must have been quite a few UK youngsters getting numbers in that time. My youngest gets his any time now.

If this were the case, we should be able to assume, then the DWP and ONS would have replied immediately? Surely?

[Kaz]

I don't know, I was just looking for clarification

[Suff]

Governments don't clarify, they CYA. What we are seeing now is one CYA conflicting with another....

[Workingman]

No, there is no Cover Your Ar5se (CYA) going on.

We have entered an era where everyone is covering everyone else's ar5e.

This NI number fiasco is one of those. If it's not he ONS figures it's the DWP figures, but it could also be the UKSA figures.

Total CEA.