Foreign nationals in UK claim £1 billion in benefits each month

Claims for benefits by foreign nationals have increased by almost 30 percent in just one year, rising from £726 million to £941 million. The United Kingdom has seen foreign nationals claiming nearly £1 billion in benefits each month for the past three years, according to data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The increase in benefit payments to households with at least one foreign national has nearly doubled from £461 million in March 2022 to £941 million in March of this year, accounting for 15.5 percent of the total Universal Credit payments in the UK for that month. The rise in claims is believed to be due to more foreign nationals being granted refugee status or indefinite leave to remain, making them eligible for state benefits, including Universal Credit. This increase in benefit claims is expected to renew calls for stricter restrictions on welfare access for migrants. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to consider raising the NHS surcharge for migrants and limiting access to the state pension to tighten benefit eligibility. The recent surge in benefit claims coincides with the UK recording record net migration numbers, with over 900,000 people arriving in 2023. Former Tory health minister Neil O’Brien expressed concerns about the rapid growth of benefit spending and migration rates, criticizing the government for not doing enough to address these issues. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has proposed measures to reduce net migration, including extending the waiting period for indefinite leave to remain and requiring migrants to demonstrate a significant contribution to British society in order to gain citizenship sooner.