We’ve seen posts circulating on Facebook that make a number of comparisons between how much “financial assistance” the “British Government” gives both pensioners and “illegal immigrants/refugees living in Britain”.
The posts make claims about how much pensioners and “illegal immigrants/refugees” receive in various types of “allowances”. We can’t find evidence that some of the specific allowances referred to in the posts exist, and the figures for financial support these groups receive appears to be incorrect.
The state pension is more than the posts claim pensioners receive in “allowances”. People in the UK illegally are not entitled to public funds, and it’s unlikely refugees would receive as much Universal Credit as £30,000 a year.
We’ve seen posts like this before. We wrote about them in January, as well as last year, and we also saw them in 2019, 2018 and 2012. We’ve also written before about false or misleading claims we’ve seen online about people who arrive in the country as migrants or asylum seekers.
False or misleading claims online have the potential to harm individuals and groups. Online claims can spread fast and far and are difficult to contain and correct. Internet companies must take responsibility to ensure that they have clear and transparent policies on the treatment of misinformation on their platforms, and then apply them consistently.
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What does the post say?
The post appears to be titled “State pension”. It tells readers to “keep this going please” and to “read and pass on”. It’s addressed to the “Prime Minister”.
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What is the state pension?
The posts claim a “British old aged pensioner” receives a “weekly allowance” of £106, a “weekly spouse allowance” of £25, £0 for an “additional weekly hardship allowance” and says they receive a “total yearly benefit” of £6,000.
We’re not sure what the “weekly allowance” specifically refers to, but it could mean the state pension, as the title of the posts suggests. In the UK, men born on or after 6 April 1951, and women born on or after 6 April 1953, are eligible for the ‘new’ state pension, which, in full, is £221.20 a week (around £11,500 a year), typically paid every four weeks.
In order to get the full amount of £221.20 a week, people need to have 35 qualifying years on their National Insurance record. People will receive a proportion of this if they’ve got between 10 and 35 years of payments on their record, and won’t receive any of the new state pension if they don’t have 10 qualifying years.
Men born before 6 April 1951 and women born before 6 April 1953 receive the ‘basic’ state pension. People eligible for the full basic state pension get £169.50 a week (around £8,800 a year). Some may also receive more than this, if they paid into the Additional State Pension before 2016. Some people may be able to inherit part of their deceased spouses’ Additional State Pension.
Do pensioners get other types of state support?
Those who have reached state pension age can’t apply for Universal Credit, but some pensioners on low income may be eligible for benefits such as means-tested Pension Credit and Housing Benefit.
Pensioners in England and Wales who receive Pension Credit or certain other benefits are eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, which provides a £200 or £300 discount on heating bills over the winter months. This was previously given to everyone of state pension age, but the government announced in July this would be means-tested from 2024. Some on these benefits may receive reductions in Council Tax, depending on their local authority’s rules.
While we’ve not been able to find evidence of a £25 “weekly spouse allowance” for pensioners, married couples with one person over the age of 89 may be eligible for the Married Couple’s Allowance, which could reduce the amount they pay in tax by between £427 and £1,108 a year. If a pensioner is also a carer, they may be eligible for money through the Carer’s Allowance as well.
Until April 2020, pensioners with a partner under state pension age and financially dependent on them were able to apply for the State Pension Adult Dependency Increase.
Additional financial support is provided for some pensioners who have an illness or disability.
All of those at state pension age, or older, in England can apply for a special bus pass which permits free bus travel. In Wales and Scotland, as well as in London, this is available to anyone over 60.
Pensioners over the age of 75 who receive Pension Credit are eligible for a free TV licence.
What support do people who are in the UK illegally receive?
The posts initially say that “immigrants/refugees living in Britain” receive a weekly allowance of £250, before referring to this group as “illegal immigrants/refugees living in Britain”.
The post claims this group receives a “weekly allowance” of £250, a “weekly spouse allowance” of £225 and an “additional weekly hardship allowance” of £100, giving them a “total yearly benefit” of £29,900.
People who do not have a legal right to be in the UK do not have access to public funds, such as Universal Credit or the state pension, though some may receive other forms of financial support from the government. While the posts don’t give details on where the supposed payments for “illegal immigrants” come from, it’s unlikely they would receive the payments listed, and these are not UK government schemes or payments.
What support do refugees receive?
Someone who is granted refugee status, and receives a biometric residence permit from the government, has the right to apply for the same state support and benefits as British citizens, such as Universal Credit, under the same eligibility criteria. Not all refugees apply for, or receive, Universal Credit.
The amount people receive in Universal Credit depends on their specific circumstances, and any other types of benefits they are receiving. The monthly standard allowance for a single-person household is either £311.68 for those under 25, or £393.45 for over 25s. For couples under 25, the standard allowance is £489.23 and it’s £617.60 for over 25s. Weekly, this ranges between roughly £78 and £154.
Some Universal Credit claimants, such as some carers, people with children or those who are unable to work because of their health, are eligible to claim extra money on top of the standard allowance.
It’s possible, in theory, that a refugee household could receive £29,900 a year in benefits, as UK nationals could. But this would only happen if they weren’t subject to the benefits cap, a limit on the amount of benefits a working age household can receive from the government, and if they received benefits for a range of reasons. It wouldn’t be due to their status as a refugee.
Over the course of a year, the benefits cap amounts to around £14,800 for single adults without children outside Greater London, or £17,000 for a single adult without children in Greater London; £22,000 for couples or single parents whose children live with them outside Greater London and £25,300 for couples or single parents whose children live with them in Greater London.
In all the above cases, this benefits cap is less than the £29,900 “total yearly benefit” outlined in the Facebook posts.
However, some people aren’t affected by the benefits cap, such as those over state pension age, those who have limited capacity for work or those receiving Carer’s Allowance.
Can refugees get other support?
Someone with refugee status could also receive the state pension, provided they meet the eligibility criteria and make enough National Insurance contributions beforehand.
The Facebook posts note that pensioners have paid Income Tax and National Insurance and claim “immigrants/refugees” make “no Income Tax and National Insurance contribution whatsoever”. Once an asylum seeker is given refugee status and is legally allowed to work, their wages are taxed in the same way as any other British resident, meaning they also pay Income Tax and National Insurance if they earn enough to do so.
We couldn’t find evidence of a “weekly spousal allowance” for refugees of £255, or a “weekly hardship allowance”.
The only government support specific to refugees we could find is the refugee integration loan, which is worth between £100 and £500 for an individual and between £100 and £780 for a couple. However, recipients must pay this money back to the government, even if they are on Universal Credit, as it is a loan.
What about asylum seekers?
Asylum seekers are those who are awaiting a decision in their asylum case. They are not allowed to claim mainstream benefits such as Universal Credit.
Some asylum seekers are placed in government accommodation (managed by providers on behalf of the Home Office) while awaiting a decision in their case, if they don’t have other means of supporting themselves.
If an asylum seeker is staying in accommodation that provides meals, they receive £8.86 a week. If they don’t have meals provided for them, they get £49.18 a week instead. Pregnant women and those with children under three-years-old receive an additional £5.25-£9.50 a week. There is also a one-off maternity grant of £300 available for pregnant women, if their baby is due in 11 weeks or less, or if their baby is under six months old.
If someone is granted refugee status, then they are allowed to apply for benefits such as Universal Credit, if they match the necessary criteria.
People whose asylum cases are rejected may also be eligible for continued support.
Where did this claim come from?
We’ve seen almost this exact claim before. It’s been posted multiple times over the years, and we wrote about it as far back as 12 years ago.
According to the House of Commons Library, the text has been circulating in reference to the UK since at least 2010, but appears very similar to an email that was circulating in Australia in 2007.