ImmigrationNational 19h 4m left
Should migrants be banned from claiming social welfare?
Most UK work and study visas carry a "no recourse to public funds" condition, and migrants generally need settled status or must pass a residency test before claiming mainstream benefits such as Universal Credit. Those without legal status are barred outright, while people with an outstanding asylum claim receive separate support of accommodation and around £7 a day, costing roughly £5 billion a year. Recognised refugees gain the same access as residents once status is granted.
2 Opinions
This question and its answers are a mess. It’s a jumble of terminology - “illegal migrants”, “asylum seekers”, “genuine refugees”. Yes, benefits to illegal migrants should be set at a disincentivising level. Should genuine refugees be accepted and been given adequate support? Also “yes”. Should economic migrants with no documentation be given the same treatment as carefully documented refugees? Probably not.