Claim: There are 1.6 million asylum seekers on long term benefits.
Fact-check: There aren't 1.6 million asylum seekers claiming benefits in the UK - Full Fact
Verdict: this is false. as of june 2024 there were 224,742 asylum cases in the system and asylum seekers aren't eligible for mainstream benefits. this may be referring to ons data showing 1.68 million people born outside of the uk are either unemployed or 'economically inactive'. but this is not the total figure of asylum seekers, and we don't know how many are on benefits.
Organisation: Full Fact
Author: Charlotte Green
Date published: 2024-09-18T00:00:00