New data reveals that the government is currently spending more than £1 billion each month on benefit claims for households that include at least one foreign national.
In March of this year, households having at least one claimant who is a foreign national received £941 million, an increase from £461 million compared to last year during the same period.
The Telegraph reports.
This rise accounts for nearly one-sixth of the monthly Universal Credit payments and offsets the £1.4 billion the government conserved by reducing winter fuel payments.
Specialists have indicated that this rise shows an upswing in the number of asylum seekers obtaining refugee status in Britain.
Non-citizens can qualify for Universal Credit and various benefits under the same conditions as British citizens once they have been awarded indefinite leave to remain or received refugee status.
The most recent statistics arrive as
Angela Rayner
Last week demanded that migrant benefits be reduced significantly and encouraged
Rachel Reeves
To implement alterations following the Deputy PM questioning the Chancellor’s fiscal strategy.
Daring suggestions detailed in a disclosed memorandum highlighted by The Telegraph proposed increasing the difficulty for migrants to obtain Universal Credit.
Ms Rayner went so far as to suggest that Labour should increase the charges migrants incur when using the NHS. She and her team labeled these proposals as “contentious” yet deemed them worthy of consideration nonetheless.
As per the present regulations, which were implemented by the Conservatives in 2015, individuals from abroad with work permits must pay for healthcare services, with this charge presently fixed at £1,035.
The ‘ radical’ policies also entailed restricting eligibility for the state pension.
The newest disclosures follow Ms Reeves facing a trifecta of setbacks to her authority.
The Deputy Prime Minister proposed unveiling the strategies during the Spring Statement with the aim of having them approved by the time of the Autumn Budget.
As stated by the daily newspaper, ‘Migrants who have resided in the UK for between five to ten years typically gain access to an extensive array of welfare benefits.’
‘Having indefinite leave to stay in the UK provides access to key welfare benefits like Universal Credit, and making at least 10 years’ worth of National Insurance payments qualifies you for certain state pension provisions.’
‘Individuals who entered the UK during the time of exceptionally high migration in recent years will qualify for indefinite leave to remain throughout the current parliamentary term.’
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