Charles Lear rightly points out the difference between asylum seekers and economic migrants. Also that strict rules apply to both with regard to obtaining benefits. Sadly, a great many people abuse both asylum and benefits system.
The Oxford dictionary defines asylum as: a place of refuge. Usually this refers to political asylum and refers to persons coming from a country with a recognised oppressive political system. The fundamental rule for those seeking political asylum is they must make their asylum application in the first country they arrive in which subscribes to international treaties on asylum.
An asylum claim becomes void if the claimant lands in one EU country but travels to another before making their claim. I doubt even Charles Lear would deny that this frequently happens.
Persons "country hopping" before seeking asylum only do it as they expect better treatment in the final country. Very often the UK. Officials are entitled to reject such claims immediately, but in practice such persons are admitted to this country pending full assessment. On the other hand, if that same person admitted to being better off financially by working in this country he becomes classified as an economic migrant and likely will be treated same as an asylum seeker except that he will eventually be returned whence he came. In their position, I would seek asylum status, wouldn't you?
Of greater concern is that EU citizens can travel anywhere in EU and seek work. Which results in a situation where in a local meat products factory, more than eighty percent of workers are of East European origin so that locals are refused employment unless they can speak English and at least one East European language. As no east European language has ever been taught in UK schools, a distinct advantage to East Europeans who are taught English language as a matter of course.
Meanwhile every town in Cornwall has a food bank where persons who have difficulty in affording food can collect food parcels, (strict conditions apply).
To make matters worse, it was revealed on radio news today, that employers are legally permitted to pay less than government's minimum wage to EU workers.
What a shambles!