Migration

The accession of several Central and Eastern European countries to the European Union in 2004 led to the increased migration to the UK of residents of those countries. When Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, the right of their residents (termed "A2 nationals") to work in Britain was limited to the self-employed, highly skilled migrants, and food and agricultural workers.[11] The Big Issue, whose vendors are classed as self-employed, offers an opportunity for A2 migrants to work in the UK. By 2011, around half of Big Issue sellers in the north of England were of Romani origin, many of whom having migrated from Romania and Bulgaria.[12] In London, 30% of rough sleepers are Eastern European.[1] In 2012, a Romanian Big Issue vendor obtained a court ruling which confirmed that she is entitled, as a self-employed person, to receive housing benefit.[13] The Big Issue has been criticised for enabling migrants to access the benefits system in this way.[14] The magazine responded by asserting its role in reducing benefit dependency, highlighting British Prime Minister David Cameron's description of it as 'a fantastic example of how we can reduce dependence on state hand-outs'