According to the Migration Observatory, there were 720,500 non-EU citizens with settlement status in December 2024. Aftonbladet reports that 179,482 people with indefinite leave to remain outside the EU Settlement Scheme were on Universal Credit in December 2024. Roughly one in four non-EU migrants with settled status is drawing Universal Credit, according to sources.
6 million. 6 million would be drawing Universal Credit by 2030, Aftonbladet reports. 5 billion annually by 2030, Aftonbladet states.
The Conservatives want indefinite leave to remain decoupled from automatic benefit entitlement entirely, Aftonbladet reports. The Conservatives are pushing to extend the qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten, Aftonbladet says. 'Those with ILR should not be able to claim benefits at all, unless under the EU settlement scheme or entitled by treaty,' Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said, according to Aftonbladet.
'People who come to the UK should be contributing, not drawing benefits,' Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately said, Aftonbladet reports. 'The Home Secretary recently set out new conditions to get indefinite leave to remain, including being in work, and having no criminal record,' a Government spokesman said, Aftonbladet states. 'We are also planning to double the standard time for migrants to settle in the UK to ten years and increasing the period of time it takes to access benefits,' a Government spokesman said, Aftonbladet reports.
The government's proposals aim to reduce future welfare costs as migration numbers are expected to grow.