£1 billion a month: Rising Benefit Claims by Foreign Nationals Fuel Political Tensions

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Rising Benefit Claims by Foreign Nationals Fuel Political Tensions Over Welfare and Immigration

 

Benefit payments to households with at least one foreign national have surged to nearly £1 billion a month, a sharp increase from £461 million in March 2022, according to newly released government figures. The amount—£941 million in March this year—now accounts for nearly a sixth of all Universal Credit payments, prompting renewed political pressure to curb access to state support for migrants.

 

 

The data, obtained from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) through a freedom of information request, shows that claims by foreign nationals have risen almost 30 per cent in the past year alone. Neil O’Brien, a former Conservative health minister who uncovered the figures, wrote in The Telegraph, “The growth of benefit spending and the rate of migration are both much too fast, and the Government is doing far too little to change either trend. Migrants know that if they can make it to the UK, they will be allowed to stay. As long as that is true, we’ll see more and more coming. Our soft-touch welfare state makes this worse.”

 

 

The revelations have reignited debate within the Labour Party. A leaked memo from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner advised Chancellor Rachel Reeves to consider limiting access to Universal Credit for immigrants. The memo also warned of rising numbers of people becoming eligible for indefinite leave to remain due to high immigration levels in the early 2020s, increasing the strain on the welfare system.

 

Graham Stringer, a senior Labour backbencher and former leader of Manchester City Council, expressed his concerns about the spending. “Given the state of the country’s finances, everything has to be looked at and reassessed. This expenditure [on foreign claimants] in my opinion is not a priority. We have to be absolutely clear on what our priorities are and in my view these people are not a priority,” he said, comparing the rising cost to cuts in Personal Independence Payments and winter fuel allowances for British citizens.

 

The DWP categorises a foreign claimant as someone who does not hold British or Irish nationality and has passed the Habitual Resident Test, which checks for legal residency and physical presence in the UK. Even if other household members are British, joint claims that include at least one non-British or Irish national are counted as foreign.

 

With net migration hitting a record high of over 900,000 in 2023, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has recently proposed extending the qualification period for indefinite leave to remain from five to ten years. His plan would delay access to benefits for tens of thousands, with exceptions made only for those who make a “real and lasting contribution” to the UK economy and society.

 

A government spokesperson responded to the mounting criticism, saying, “We inherited a spiralling benefits system that was out of control. Since last July, we have reduced the proportion of benefit payments to nationals outside the British Isles. Refugees and non-UK or Irish citizens can only access these payments once their immigration status is formally verified by the Home Office, and they satisfy strict tests.”

 

Neil O’Brien warns that Universal Credit is only part of the story. “The soaring bill for Universal Credit payments to people from overseas is the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “Universal Credit only accounts for about half of working age welfare spending.” He added that many council houses in Greater London are occupied by households led by someone born abroad, and questioned the fairness of such distribution when many British taxpayers are struggling.

 

The commentary reflects broader discontent over the intersection of welfare generosity and migration policy. O’Brien concluded, “Both the explosion of welfare spending and the surging numbers arriving in small boats are driven by the same rights culture. Sadly, we have a PM who is a human rights lawyer, who used to sign letters opposing the deportation of criminals. As long as he’s in office, the bills for those who play by the rules will just keep on rising.”

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph  2025-06-04

 

 

[blaze master]

What a great way to spend British taxpayers money.

[Chomper Higgot]

“Benefit payments to households with at least one foreign national have surged to nearly £1 billion a month, a sharp increase from £461 million in March 2022, according to newly released government figures.”

 

Putting this into a context that might very well apply to members of this forum.

 

A British citizen marries a Thai national moves back to the UK with his Thai wife and perhaps their children, then someone in their household is in receipt of benefits, those benefits are added to the tally.

 

Perhaps Brits who marry foreigners should be denied all UK benefits.

 

 

 

 

[jippytum]

The UK is being invaded by Muslim men of fighting age in record numbers on a daily basis. 

Muslim offenders dominate the jail system with little fear of deportation after release. 

Sharia law courts are providlng a two tier legal system unchecked by local authorities. 

Illegal immigration on this scale could god forbid  be the precurser to a terrorist tragedy greater than 9/11.

[philipsharpe]

A country sleep-walking into a dystopian nightmare.

[JonnyF]

Meanwhile, British pensioners who paid into the system all their lives freeze in their homes. 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Meanwhile, British pensioners who paid into the system all their lives freeze in their homes. 

Do you have any evidence of this oft repeated claim of yours that British pensioners have frozen in their homes?

 

 

[bkk6060]

Drip drip drip until they suck the life out of the country.  A total shame.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, bkk6060 said:

Drip drip drip until they suck the life out of the country.  A total shame.

That’s a conclusion that might be drawn if the information on how much immigrants contribute to the economy is not presented. 
 

https://www.davidsonmorris.com/immigration-societal-contributions/

[Thingamabob]

The Britain for which previous generations fought and died to protect is being betrayed by senior members of the civil service, the judiciary and the police.

[hotsun]

10 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

That’s a conclusion that might be drawn if the information on how much immigrants contribute to the economy is not presented. 
 

https://www.davidsonmorris.com/immigration-societal-contributions/

As time goes on, your position becomes weaker and weaker. Until you have nothing left to defend

[Mad Mustang]

A calculator and a bit of common sense reveals what this means for the future and stability of the UK financially and as far as sovereignty is concerned and the final calculation isn’t good. But it is the same for most of the EU countries and Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

It is no accident and enquiring mind might wonder who the real puppet masters are?

[Chomper Higgot]

14 minutes ago, hotsun said:

As time goes on, your position becomes weaker and weaker. Until you have nothing left to defend

I’m not at all sure how you worked that out.

But please explain how it relates to my post you were responding to.

 

[Chomper Higgot]

8 minutes ago, Mad Mustang said:

A calculator and a bit of common sense reveals what this means for the future and stability of the UK financially and as far as sovereignty is concerned and the final calculation isn’t good. But it is the same for most of the EU countries and Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

It is no accident and enquiring mind might wonder who the real puppet masters are?

Except when using the calculator you don’t omit the numbers relating to the contribution side of the equation.

[Chomper Higgot]

22 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

The Britain for which previous generations fought and died to protect is being betrayed by senior members of the civil service, the judiciary and the police.

You should perhaps look into who did a lot of the fighting for Britain.

[sandyf]

31 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Do you have any evidence of this oft repeated claim of yours that British pensioners have frozen in their homes?

 

 

You shouldn't change the context, "freeze in their homes" does not equate to "frozen in their homes".

Rising winter mortality in the UK is not figment of someone's imagination but different studies will bias the figures to suit the point of view.

Someone developing respiritory problems, going into hospital and dying would not be included, although the root cause may have been inadequate heating.

[JAG]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

“Benefit payments to households with at least one foreign national have surged to nearly £1 billion a month, a sharp increase from £461 million in March 2022, according to newly released government figures.”

 

Putting this into a context that might very well apply to members of this forum.

 

A British citizen marries a Thai national moves back to the UK with his Thai wife and perhaps their children, then someone in their household is in receipt of benefits, those benefits are added to the tally.

 

Perhaps Brits who marry foreigners should be denied all UK benefits.

 

 

 

 

That is remarkably disingenuous even by your standards Chomper.

 

It is absolutely clear, and made so by several senior figures in the present government, that this massive increase is the result of unfettered and often illegal immigration.

 

The problem? That they, as with their hopeless predecessors, are unable to get their act together to get it under some semblance of control.

[shackleton]

The British public have been to slow over the years to voice their concerns on illegal immigrants numbers going up every year 

They voted in a Labour government who said they would give it top priority in getting the numbers down 

No point in pointing to the last government They were just as bad 

You are in power now sort it out now 😱

[The Cyclist]

46 minutes ago, JAG said:

That is remarkably disingenuous even by your standards Chomper.

 

Actually it isn't.

 

 

He believes, along with many others, that the UK is responsible for every ill in the world going back Centuries.

 

Therefore it is only correct that the UK should pay reparations, take in every waif and stray that arrives on UK shores

 

Mentalism is alive and well, and walks amongst us.

 

The rest of your comment is bang on the money.

[Watawattana]

42 minutes ago, sandyf said:

You shouldn't change the context, "freeze in their homes" does not equate to "frozen in their homes".

Rising winter mortality in the UK is not figment of someone's imagination but different studies will bias the figures to suit the point of view.

Someone developing respiritory problems, going into hospital and dying would not be included, although the root cause may have been inadequate heating.

 

From a UK Government web site "Mortality is significantly higher during the winter months (December to March) in the UK when compared to other seasons. On average there are around 35,000 excess winter deaths (EWDs) each year in England and Wales but the number tends to vary annually."  

 

The article goes on to describe some of the risk factors and gives some figures based on statistical modelling.  One item that may be relevant to the conversation on this that is mentioned in the article is "Although exposure to extreme cold can kill directly through hypothermia, the leading causes of cold-associated illness and death are respiratory and circulatory (lung and heart) conditions, dementia and Alzheimer’s. People with dementia and Alzheimer’s often do not recognise that they are feeling cold. We also know that cold-associated mortality represents a significant health inequality, with those experiencing greater deprivation more likely to be affected".

 

The article doesn't mention anything about people who "freeze in their homes" or are "frozen in their homes".  This equates to hypothermia though of course.  My reading of the long article and extrapolating it to the OP is that cold weather kills for numerous reasons, and if the care system was better then people who are at risk might not be as likely to die. A £billion a month might go some way to helping, but would not solve this.  One of the reasons for this is a lack of staff, and not enough legal UK citizens want to work in this sector, so immigration is needed.  But not the form of immigration as mentioned in the OP.

 

Bottom line is the UK is in a massive mess, and it's the fault of successive governments.  And it's Labour in power now and it's their job to fix the mess.  No point in them being kicked out as the next lot in are unlikely to solve it either.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/extreme-cold-temperatures-in-domiciliary-care/extreme-cold-temperatures-in-domiciliary-care-the-study

[Chomper Higgot]

53 minutes ago, JAG said:

That is remarkably disingenuous even by your standards Chomper.

 

It is absolutely clear, and made so by several senior figures in the present government, that this massive increase is the result of unfettered and often illegal immigration.

 

The problem? That they, as with their hopeless predecessors, are unable to get their act together to get it under some semblance of control.

Forgive me, I made reference to an actual statement from the article under discussion and from which I have drawn logically correct observation.

 

Do you wish to dispute the observation I made and if so where is your counter argument?

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

11 minutes ago, The Cyclist said:

 

Actually it isn't.

 

 

He believes, along with many others, that the UK is responsible for every ill in the world going back Centuries.

 

Therefore it is only correct that the UK should pay reparations, take in every waif and stray that arrives on UK shores

 

Mentalism is alive and well, and walks amongst us.

 

The rest of your comment is bang on the money.

There you go fabricating opinions on my behalf.

 

Do let us know who wins your debate, you or the opinions you imagined.

 

[Thingamabob]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You should perhaps look into who did a lot of the fighting for Britain.

I don't need you to make such a comment. I come from a military family. I am fully aware of the many nationalities, ethnicities and backgrounds of those who fought with my grandfather, who was killed in France in WW1, my father who fought in North Africa in WW2, and his brother, my uncle, who fought in the Burma campaign, also in WW2. 

[greeneking]

1 hour ago, Mad Mustang said:

A calculator and a bit of common sense reveals what this means for the future and stability of the UK financially and as far as sovereignty is concerned and the final calculation isn’t good. But it is the same for most of the EU countries and Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

It is no accident and enquiring mind might wonder who the real puppet masters are?

Do you have an enquiring mind?

Can you tell this simple soul who the real puppet masters are?

[The Cyclist]

24 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There you go fabricating opinions on my behalf.

 

Fabricating nothing

 

Your posting history dictates that you hate / loathe the UK, just like a great many on the left of the Political spectrum

 

Judging by the spanking you have took on this thread alone. It would appear that you are a very vocal minority.

 

 

[jas007]

2 hours ago, jippytum said:

The UK is being invaded by Muslim men of fighting age in record numbers on a daily basis. 

Muslim offenders dominate the jail system with little fear of deportation after release. 

Sharia law courts are providlng a two tier legal system unchecked by local authorities. 

Illegal immigration on this scale could god forbid  be the precurser to a terrorist tragedy greater than 9/11.

Never forget, this entire invasion was allowed to happen.  It was no accident, and the UK wasn't the only country affected. For the four years of the Biden administration, millions flowed across the southern UN border, unchecked.  Rounding them up and deporting them may prove to be an impossible task. 

 

 

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

12 minutes ago, The Cyclist said:

 

Fabricating nothing

 

Your posting history dictates that you hate / loathe the UK, just like a great many on the left of the Political spectrum

 

Judging by the spanking you have took on this thread alone. It would appear that you are a very vocal minority.

 

 

So soon you prove my point by doubling down on imagined opinions.

 

I don’t mind being in the minority who understand there are two sides to all equations.

 

 

[Patong2021]

2 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

The Britain for which previous generations fought and died to protect is being betrayed by senior members of the civil service, the judiciary and the police.

 

Have you considered taking a course in basic government?

The laws are enacted by Parliament, not the civil service, not the judiciary and not the police.

The judiciary applies the laws as they were written. it has no other option. The police apply the laws as they were written and as they are directed by the elected government.

The voters elect the Members of Parliament and the ruling government who determine which laws to enact.

Therefore, the responsibility for the mess that the UK is in now rests entirely with the voters. 35% of the population can't be bothered to vote, which says that they don't care. 

 

Anytime a UK government  has attempted to  stop the madness arising from the  influx of bogus refugees and economic migrants it has been stymied, blocked and sabotaged, by political parties like Labour, by labour unions, by some organized religious groups and  by the people of the UK itself. Remember when the  last UK government tried to remove bogus refugees and criminals by air, and passengers on the flights  protested the removal?  It is a cop out to blame everyone but the  UK public for the mess.  

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Have you considered taking a course in basic government?

The laws are enacted by Parliament, not the civil service, not the judiciary and not the police.

The judiciary applies the laws as they were written. it has no other option. The police apply the laws as they were written and as they are directed by the elected government.

The voters elect the Members of Parliament and the ruling government who determine which laws to enact.

Therefore, the responsibility for the mess that the UK is in now rests entirely with the voters. 35% of the population can't be bothered to vote, which says that they don't care. 

 

Anytime a UK government  has attempted to  stop the madness arising from the  influx of bogus refugees and economic migrants it has been stymied, blocked and sabotaged, by political parties like Labour, by labour unions, by some organized religious groups and  by the people of the UK itself. Remember when the  last UK government tried to remove bogus refugees and criminals by air, and passengers on the flights  protested the removal?  It is a cop out to blame everyone but the  UK public for the mess.  

I wonder why it’s been left to the Labour Government to deal with this:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jun/03/weather-fuller-boats-more-channel-arrivals-home-office

[Purdey]

People like Nigel Farage, who is married to a German, should be aware of the problem that he is a part of. A small part but nonetheless is he claiming for her too?