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Written question asked by Baroness Manzoor (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 July 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 6 August 2026. It was answered by Baroness Sherlock (Labour) on Tuesday, 11 August 2026 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Social Security Benefits: Foreign Nationals

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what welfare, housing and health benefits foreign nationals are entitled to; from what point after their arrival in the UK are they entitled to those benefits; and what criteria are used to assess their eligibility.

Answer

All claimants, regardless of their nationality, must demonstrate that they are resident in the UK and have an immigration status that qualifies them to receive taxpayer-funded benefits.

Migrants with recourse to public funds are subject to the same eligibility criteria as any other claimant, including the need to be ‘habitually resident’ (meaning they have made the UK their home) in addition to having a legal right to claim benefits.

Most non-UK nationals are granted an immigration status by the Home Office with a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)’ condition. Individuals may have their NRPF condition removed once they are granted Indefinite Leave to Remain/settled status, which is usually after 5 years. These claimants can still access contribution-based benefits such as New-Style Jobseeker’s Allowance.

The full eligibility criteria, including the residency tests, for each benefit type can be found on GOV.UK.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL2723
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Eligibility Foreign nationals Social security benefits
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk