Majority of Britons believe immigration is hurting country

Majority of people in Britain believe immigration is doing more harm to the country than good, according to a major poll.

The survey found that more than 60 percent of respondents felt there were more disadvantages than advantages to foreigners coming to live in the UK.

Just one in six believed that immigration was a good thing for Britain overall, the research commissioned by the former Conservative party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft found.

The most common concern surrounding immigration was the idea that migrants put pressure on the benefits system and public services by using them without contributing in return, the Independent reports.

The poll found that respondents said foreigners took jobs that might otherwise go to British workers.

Overall, 77 percent of those polled believed a dramatic reduction in immigration would benefit the economy.

The poll found that one advantage of immigration was that a migrants would do jobs British people are not willing to do, and would work harder for lower wages.