Welfare Applications from Foreign-Born Residents in the UK
Approximately 3.5 million foreign-born individuals are seeking welfare assistance in the UK, as indicated by official statistics from the Immigration Control Center.
Despite ongoing efforts to persuade the British public that mass immigration positively impacts the economy, the financial strain from immigrants utilizing Universal Credit and other welfare programs is quite significant.
Data from the Department for Work and Pensions released in July shows that 1.26 million foreigners rely on Universal Credit, a monthly benefit intended to help working-age individuals with housing, childcare, and other expenses. Immigrants gain access to the same benefits as UK nationals once they acquire residency or refugee status.
However, this number only partially captures the extent of welfare dependency in the immigrant community. According to statistics from the April-June Labor Force Survey, an additional 623,377 foreigners are benefiting from various state assistance programs, including disability, childcare, housing, and pensions.
Still, the total of 1.88 million foreigners receiving support does not fully illustrate immigration’s effect on the welfare system. Research suggests that around 1.5 million additional individuals who are foreign nationals have become British citizens and are also eligible for benefits, pushing the overall figure to nearly 3.4 million.
It’s worth noting that the Labor Force Survey tends to underestimate the actual number of benefit recipients, and a recent review from the Department for Work and Pensions highlighted that benefit claims may have been “undercounted for many years,” indicating the real figures could be even greater.
The financial burden on Britain’s taxpayers is substantial. Excluding other welfare forms, it is estimated that British taxpayers disbursed £24.79 billion ($33 billion) to non-British and Irish households in Universal Credit payments from March 2022 to March 2025. Last year alone, foreigners received £10.1 billion through Universal Credit, making up one-sixth of the total expenditure on that program.
Robert Bates from the Center for Immigration Management commented that: “Foreigners who come to the UK for work or study should not have access to our welfare state. It seems unfair that at least 1.9 million individuals from other countries are supported by British taxpayers.” He emphasized the importance of an immigration system focused on attracting talent rather than those needing long-term state support.
Meanwhile, Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has pledged to limit benefits for British citizens should his party win the upcoming election. He aims to abolish the indefinite leave scheme, known colloquially as the “Boriswave,” which would provide many post-Brexit arrivals with permanent residency and associated benefits.
Farage remarked on the rising costs to taxpayers and warned that the current situation may worsen before it improves. A report from the Center for Policy Research earlier this year cautioned that migrants arriving after January 2021 could potentially impose a £234 billion burden over their lifetimes, and this number could considerably increase based on the number of immigrants granted permanent residency.
