Migrant benefit claims reach record levels in the UK
Nearly 500 migrants a day are signing up for benefits as claims by foreign nationals hit a record 1.3 million, reports BritPanorama.
Last month, 472 migrants daily began claiming Universal Credit, reflecting a 6.7% increase from the previous year. This surge in claims coincides with an announcement from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood regarding new legislation that would make migrants’ right to settle in the UK contingent upon not claiming benefits. She has described illegal migration as “tearing our country apart.”
In her address, Ms. Mahmood is expected to reveal that refugee status will now be temporary, causing individuals from safe countries to be promptly returned home. Currently, refugees can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after five years, which provides access to benefits and a path to citizenship.
A new qualifying period of 20 years will be instituted for those who arrive illegally, including via small boats or lorries, and overstay their visas. Conversely, legal arrivals will have a 10-year pathway to settlement. A Government spokesman indicated that the increase in Universal Credit claimants, including British nationals, is partly due to the transition of tens of thousands from legacy benefits.
Moreover, the Home Secretary’s remarks will follow her recent enforcement actions against illegal migrants. The proposed laws aim to target entire migrant families, marking a significant shift in the government’s approach to asylum seekers. Currently, the deportation of Channel migrants with children is highly challenging, even if their claims are rejected.
Under this overhaul of asylum policy, families with children will now be the focus for potential removal, impacting several hundred households, including significant numbers of families from Albania. The Home Office argues that the existing policies allow asylum seekers to manipulate their circumstances by relying on their children’s presence to avoid deportation.
The government’s strategy aims to curb what it describes as the “perverse incentive” that encourages families to make perilous crossings to improve their chances of remaining in the UK.
As the debate over migration continues, the measures proposed by the Home Secretary are likely to provoke significant discussion about the balance between maintaining national security and the welfare of those seeking asylum.
This situation encapsulates the ongoing tensions within UK migration policy, raising questions about the future landscape of immigration and its integration into wider social and economic frameworks.
The recent policy shifts underscore the complexities of migration governance amid evolving societal attitudes towards immigration and the practicalities of integrating newcomers into the fabric of British life.
