Benefit claims rise

MEP Paul Nuttall

Government figures showing a 40% rise in the number of foreign nationals claiming benefits is further evidence of the need to leave the EU, said local MEP Paul Nuttall today (29 August).

The data from the DWP show that the figure has jumped in just four years to more than 407,000, at a cost of hundreds of millions of pounds a year.

“We can’t afford to be giving away hard earned taxpayers money to non-UK nationals. These figures show there has been a sharp increase in the number of claims by immigrants from eastern European countries and the situation is going to get a whole heap worse from January next year when Romanians and Bulgarians will have unfettered access to our shores,” said Mr Nuttall, UKIP deputy leader.

The newly released figures are based on a snapshot of claims made in February last year and European claimants - including eastern European nationals - made up the largest group, at nearly 139,000. Imminent new immigration figures are expected to show an even larger number of foreign claimants.

“The date does not include working tax credit or housing benefit for which most East Europeans, being low paid, would qualify. Also the new figures do not include all types of welfare hand-outs, such as child benefit payments which EU residents are entitled to claim even if their children live abroad.

“Currently taxpayers foot the bill for payments to 40,000 children overseas at a cost of £36 million a year,” said Mr Nuttall.

“As Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, has pointed out it is striking that claimants from Poland and the other new eastern European member states have increased by nearly three quarters in just one year since they gained the same access to the UK benefit system as British citizens.

“It is urgent that the government gets a grip on our bloated welfare system to end the dependency culture. Genuine workers who need extra assistance should receive it but to reduce the number of foreign nationals able to drain our resources we have to leave the EU and gain control of our borders,” said Mr Nuttall.