Overview
- Official DWP figures published in July recorded 1.26 million foreign citizens on Universal Credit after a rise since 2022.
- ONS Labour Force Survey data for April to June 2025 indicated a further 623,377 foreign citizens receiving other benefits, producing a combined estimate of about 1.88 million across benefit types.
- The combined count spans payments such as housing benefit, child allowance, carer’s allowance, disability benefits and pension credits.
- The ONS cautioned that benefits are under-reported in surveys, a known issue that affects Labour Force Survey estimates.
- Media reports cited £10 billion in Universal Credit to foreign citizens last year and £24.79 billion over March 2022 to March 2025 to households containing non‑UK/Irish nationals, prompting calls from figures including Chris Philp and Nigel Farage for tighter eligibility and settlement rules.