New evidence has emerged showing that nearly 500 migrants are signing up for Universal Credit each day. Official figures indicate that claims by foreign nationals have reached record levels, with the total number of foreign nationals receiving Universal Credit rising to almost 1.3 million, an increase of 6.7 per cent over the past year.
At the same time, migrants are being sanctioned for failing to meet benefit conditions at a rate of more than 200 cases a day. Figures obtained by the Centre for Migration Control show that between January 2023 and April 2025, the Department for Work and Pensions issued 198,771 adverse sanctions against migrants claiming Universal Credit. This represents just over 1,600 sanctions a week and accounts for 14.6 per cent of the 1.36 million sanctions issued across the welfare system during that period.
Under the Universal Credit regime, unemployed claimants are required to sign a commitment with the DWP, agreeing to attend work-coach appointments, search for employment and demonstrate active steps toward re-entering the labour market. Failure to comply can result in sanctions ranging from the temporary suspension of payments after a missed appointment to the complete withdrawal of benefits for up to three months in more serious cases.
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In April 2025 alone, more than 50,000 sanctions were imposed across the system, with migrants accounting for around 15 per cent of the total. This marked a significant increase from January 2023, when fewer than 5,500 sanctions were recorded against migrant claimants. Over the same period, foreign national households received nearly £25bn through the Universal Credit system, with more than £10bn paid out in the past year alone.
The figures have sparked renewed political debate over the impact of migration on the welfare system. Lee Anderson, Reform UK’s welfare spokesman, said the data contradicted claims that mass migration benefits the economy, arguing that too many migrants were claiming benefits while failing to comply with work requirements. He said British taxpayers should not be expected to fund what he described as a growing welfare burden and called for a radical overhaul of the system.
Similar criticism came from the Centre for Migration Control. Its research director, Robert Bates, said it was unacceptable that large numbers of benefit-claiming migrants were failing to meet what he described as relatively modest obligations. He argued that the figures pointed to the need to restrict access to the welfare system and called for reforms to settlement and residency rules.
Supporters of Universal Credit maintain that the sanctions regime is designed to encourage engagement with employment support and reduce long-term dependency on benefits. However, welfare groups have previously warned that sanctions can disproportionately affect vulnerable claimants, including those with limited English, health challenges or unstable housing situations.
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