from 1801 to 1881, the united kingdom welcomed many immigrants thanks to its booming economy. in this period, over 2 million people from ireland moved to great britain, and over 1.5 million from germany, ireland and other parts of europe arrived as well. the government encouraged these new arrivals by offering low-cost land to those seeking a fresh start in a better country. in addition, healthcare and education were also widely available for free or at low cost.