The best barrier for stopping illegal immigration is to stop all benefits to “illegal immigrants”.
Those in the UK illegally are not entitled to claim mainstream benefits. Asylum seekers also aren’t eligible, regardless of whether they arrived through a regular or irregular route. Asylum seekers and those whose asylum claims have been rejected can apply for some financial support and housing if needed, however.
Posts circulating on Facebook recently suggest “illegal immigrants” receive benefits in the UK.
The posts say: “The best barrier for stopping illegal immigrants is to stop ALL benefits to illegal immigrants.”
We’ve seen previous versions of this claim being shared very widely on social media, by accounts based in the UK and the US. This fact check looks only at the situation within the UK.
As we’ve explained before, while there is no precise legal definition for the term “illegal immigrant", it is already the case that people who are in the UK without a legal right to be here are not entitled to mainstream benefits.
The posts don’t clarify what is meant by “illegal immigrants”, but the term is often used to mean those who have travelled to the UK irregularly—for example by small boat or lorry—in order to claim asylum.
Asylum seekers are also not eligible for mainstream benefits while their claims are being considered by the Home Office, but they are able to apply for financial support, as well as housing if needed.
The government provides accommodation to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, as well as some money for living essentials. If meals are provided by the assigned accommodation, an asylum seeker receives £8.86 per week for clothing and toiletries. Those who do not have food included in the accommodation receive £49.18 per person each week. There are extra allowances for pregnant asylum seekers, or mothers of children under the age of three.
This financial support is loaded onto a debit card—known as an Aspen card—each week. It’s worth noting that asylum seekers are not permitted to work in most cases while their claims are being considered.
People whose asylum claims have been refused also cannot claim mainstream benefits but may still be eligible for support if they would otherwise be destitute. There are several other conditions to receiving this support, including that they must be taking “reasonable steps” to leave the UK, have applied for a judicial review of their asylum decision, be unable to leave because they aren’t able to travel (for example, due to physical impediment or other medical condition) or because the Secretary of State has deemed there to be no viable route of return.
If an asylum seeker’s claim is approved and they are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK, they are able to work, claim mainstream benefits and live in social housing on broadly the same basis as UK nationals. They can also apply for a refugee integration loan, which is an interest-free loan of between £100 and £500 for individuals, and up to £780 for couples, which can help pay for things such as a rent deposit or rent, household items, or education and training for work.
You can find more of our work fact checking claims relating to immigration on our website, including an explainer looking at what we do (and don’t) know about illegal migrant numbers.
This article is part of our work fact checking potentially false pictures, videos and stories on Facebook. You can read more about this—and find out how to report Facebook content—here. For the purposes of that scheme, we’ve rated this claim as missing context because it is already the case that those in the UK illegally are not entitled to claim mainstream benefits.
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