Fact Check: "Taxpayers are spending more on migrants than on British families."
What We Know
Recent reports indicate that benefit payments to foreign nationals in the UK have significantly increased. According to a report from May 2025, households with at least one non-British or non-Irish national received £941 million in Universal Credit in March 2025, a substantial rise from £461 million in March 2022. This increase represents 15.5% of the total Universal Credit expenditure for that month, which was £6.05 billion. The rise in spending has been attributed to high levels of net migration and an increase in asylum seekers being granted refugee status, thus making them eligible for state support.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) states that claimants classified as foreign must pass the Habitual Residence Test and have a right to remain in the UK. Furthermore, a leaked memo suggested that many migrants arriving in the early 2020s were becoming eligible for indefinite leave to remain, which would grant them long-term access to benefits.
Analysis
While the figures presented indicate a significant increase in benefits claimed by migrants, it is essential to contextualize this information. The claim that taxpayers are spending more on migrants than on British families lacks comprehensive evidence. The increase in benefit payments to migrants is indeed notable, but it is crucial to consider the overall welfare spending landscape.
A briefing from the Migration Observatory highlights that immigration can have both positive and negative fiscal impacts. While some migrants may rely on welfare, others contribute significantly to the economy through taxes. The Office for Budget Responsibility has also noted that higher migration levels can lead to increased tax revenues, which may offset some of the welfare costs.
Moreover, a report from Full Fact clarifies that the assertion of a massive financial burden from migrants on the welfare system may be overstated. It emphasizes that not all migrants are dependent on welfare, and many contribute positively to the economy.
The credibility of the sources used in the original claim varies. The report from the Express is based on figures obtained through freedom of information requests, which lends it some reliability. However, the framing of the issue may reflect a particular political bias, as the publication has been known to take a critical stance on immigration policies. In contrast, reports from the Migration Observatory and the Office for Budget Responsibility provide a more nuanced view of the fiscal impact of immigration.
Conclusion
The claim that "taxpayers are spending more on migrants than on British families" is Partially True. While there is a significant increase in benefits claimed by migrants, the overall fiscal impact of immigration is complex and cannot be reduced to a simple comparison of spending. The increase in welfare payments to migrants is part of a broader context of rising welfare costs, which also includes British families. Therefore, while the data supports the notion of increased spending on migrants, it does not definitively establish that this spending exceeds that on British families.
Sources
- The impact of migration on the fiscal forecast - Office for Budget Responsibility
- Migration scandal as it's revealed just how much migrants get in benefits - Express
- The Fiscal Impact of Immigration in the UK - Migration Observatory
- Migration analysis in Sept 2024 Fiscal risks and forecasts - Office for Budget Responsibility
- BRIEFING - Migration Observatory
- Over one million migrants claiming benefits
- Welfare payments to immigrants don’t cost £500 billion a year - Full Fact
