Britain is facing a “ticking time bomb” as millions of migrants admitted under the “Boriswave” will become eligible for benefits next year, an expert has told GB News.
Speaking about forthcoming Government data on benefit claims by foreign nationals, the Centre for Migration Control’s Rob Bates said the release would reveal “what many of us have long suspected: not all migration is the same”.
According to Bates, migrants from non-European countries are “far more likely to be a net cost to the Treasury and far more likely to make working-age benefit claims”.
He highlighted that foreign national households are now claiming around £1billion per month, describing it as “a significant increase, clearly an escalating situation.”
According to Bates, migrants from non-European countries are “far more likely to be a net cost to the Treasury”
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The Conservative Party called for foreigners to be barred from claiming key disability benefits, with Kemi Badenoch set to make welfare a clear dividing line with Labour and Reform in a speech this week.
The Tories want to restrict Personal Independence Payments (PIPs) and sickness top-ups to Universal Credit to UK citizens only.
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Bates told GB News: “What I think we’ll see when this data is released is what many of us have long suspected: not all migration is the same.
“We know this from several studies, which show that migrants from non-European countries are far more likely to be a net cost to the Treasury and far more likely to make working-age benefit claims.
“The evidence shows a stark picture. Countries with the highest rate of claims per 1,000 people stand out clearly.
“I think this data release is significant because we haven’t seen anything like this for around five years. The last release was in 2020, and since then we’ve had a period of hyper-mass migration.
“What’s different about this release perhaps compared with those in the pastis that it will go into more detail about the foreign national status of individuals claiming benefits, how they arrived in the UK, and what their current legal status is.
“So I think what we might finally see, after months of campaigning by many people, is the kind of data the British public needs to determine whether immigration is truly working for them.
“And I hope this starts a conversation, not just about immigration broadly, but about the type of individuals we are letting into the country, their nationalities, and whether there’s a case to curtail immigration from certain countries.
“We also have a ticking time bomb next year when millions of individuals admitted under the so-called ‘Boris wave’ of migration will begin to qualify for benefits.
Last year, ministers said spending on PIP and its predecessor, disability living allowance, was set to surge to £28billion a year by 2028-29.
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“That raises the question of whether we need to reconsider or even delay indefinitely some people’s eligibility for indefinite leave to remain.”
Government figures show that more than three quarters of sickness benefits claimants in 2023/24 were put into the top bracket.
Last year, ministers said spending on PIP and its predecessor, disability living allowance, was set to surge to £28billion a year by 2028/29.
According to the Office for Budget Responsibility, total spending on all disability benefits – including PIP and sickness top-ups to Universal Credit – is projected to rise from £39billion in 2023/24 to £58billion in 2028/29.