Keir Starmer Urged to Resign as Illegal Migrant Benefit Claims Reach Shocking Numbers

More people than ever are crossing the English Channel in small boats, and at the same time, the amount of money the government is spending on benefits for refugee families has gone up sharply. In 2024, refugee households claimed £1.1 billion in benefits – that’s a 33% jump compared to £828 million in 2023. This is the first time the cost has gone over the £1 billion mark.

These figures were uncovered through official requests made to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Experts say the rise is mostly because more asylum seekers are now being given refugee status. Once someone is officially recognised as a refugee or given permanent permission to stay in the UK, they’re allowed to claim benefits like Universal Credit just like British citizens.

At the same time, the number of small boats bringing migrants to the UK has hit a new high. Over 11,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats this year so far, the fastest the UK has ever reached that number since the crossings began seven years ago. The number is over 40% higher than the same period last year.

The government has also approved more asylum claims than ever before. In 2023 and 2024, over 110,000 applications were granted – the most in nearly 40 years.

Labour MP Graham Stringer said these numbers show the cost of failing to properly control the UK’s borders. He also said it’s going to be hard for Labour to support planned benefit cuts for vulnerable British families when so much money is already being paid out to migrants.

Chris Philp from the Conservative Party said Labour’s failure to control immigration is costing taxpayers billions. Neil O’Brien, a former minister who revealed the benefit figures, argued that the UK needs to leave the European human rights system to stop the crisis.

In response, a government source blamed the Conservative Party for the current problems, saying Labour is now working to fix things by going after criminal gangs that smuggle people into the country.

Madeleine Sumption from Oxford University said the rise in benefit spending is mainly due to two things: a big increase in people being granted refugee status as the government clears the asylum backlog, and an 11% rise in the amount individuals receive. She said the number of people officially recognised as refugees grew by 86% between December 2022 and December 2023.

Enver Solomon from the Refugee Council said that most refugees want to contribute to society and many just need a little help while they look for stable work so they can stop relying on benefits.

The government expects to spend £75.8 billion on Universal Credit in 2025–26, up from £65 billion the year before. Of that, refugee families will make up 1.8% of the total cost, slightly up from 1.7% in 2023. By the end of the decade, Universal Credit spending is predicted to hit £89 billion.

A spokesperson for the DWP said that the benefits system is strict, and people who are in the UK illegally or haven’t been granted status cannot claim Universal Credit. Only those who are officially recognised as refugees are eligible.

The government says it’s reviewing the benefits system to make sure it helps people out of poverty, supports working families, and encourages people to get back into jobs. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is also working on creating a clearer legal system so judges don’t have to make different decisions case by case. Labour says its plan is to boost the economy by getting more people into work and creating more opportunities.