Written questions

Universal Credit: Foreign Nationals

Commons · Question 114269 · Tabled 20 Feb 2026 · Department for Work and Pensions · Official record

Answered 2 Mar 2026

Question

Asked by Lee Anderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he has considered the potential merits of preventing foreign nationals from being able to claim universal credit.

Answer

Answered by Andrew Western, 2 Mar 2026

Most migrants with temporary visas cannot access public fund benefits such as Universal Credit. Access is usually at the point of settlement, which for most people will be after they have lived in the UK legally for five years, and the Home Office plans t...