Reform UK has won a huge victory as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP have caved in to an MP’s request to be more open about how many households with non-UK citizens are claiming benefits.
Rupert Lowe has been demanding that the DWP publishes the data. Now, he has announced that this will be going ahead.
Mr Lowe said on X: “Positive news.
“I have been informed by the DWP that they will soon be publishing the total amount of Universal Credit benefits paid in 2023 to households where one or both claimants are non-UK citizens – as I pushed the Prime Minister for recently in the Commons.
“In addition, information will be published on payments made to refugees through Universal Credit over the last five years.
“I would like to thank the Department for their commitment to transparent Government – I look forward to the release of these statistics.
“The British people must be given the data, and they can make their own minds up. This is a reasonable request. We are making progress.”
However, Mr Lowe says he has also asked the Home Office how many spousal visas have been issued to cousins.
The data is not “currently collected”, he claims to have been told by officials.
In addition, Mr Lowe has urged the Government to ensure that the public knows “exactly how many and which crimes have been committed by illegal migrants”.
As of September 2024, 2.3million people were on UC health, the Government added.
This was up 22% from September 2023, and up by 5 per cent from the month of June 2024.
