Almost two million foreign nationals now get benefits or the state pension in Britain, figures show.

Analysis has found 1.3million people who are not British citizens receive Universal Credit, including 745,000 Europeans who stayed after Brexit.

In addition, 200,000 foreign nationals are claiming sickness benefits including Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance.

The research by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) also found that about 400,000 foreigners are getting the UK state pension.

In total, the support cost taxpayers £23billion last year and is forecast to reach £27bn by the end of the decade.

The think-tank said the increase has accompanied the unprecedented rise in immigration in recent years, with migrants entitled to benefits once they have gained permanent settlement.

It comes after the CSJ revealed that four in five new staff jobs created in Britain over the past decade went to migrants.

CSJ founder and former Work and Pensions Secretary Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: ‘Britain’s immigration and welfare systems were founded on the expectation that those arriving here should be able to support themselves and their families.

‘But at a time when families and businesses are being clobbered with yet more taxes, many will be deeply concerned at the extent to which governments have let unconstrained immigration drive up the welfare bill.

‘We must urgently now restore contribution and reciprocity to the welfare system while helping the millions of Brits on out-of-work benefits back towards a better future for themselves and their families. We have done this before, we can do it again.’

Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick added: ‘This is an outrageous waste of taxpayers’ money.

‘If I went to live in Japan or India, I wouldn’t expect benefits – and nor should migrants coming to the UK. How on earth can Andy Burnham justify this spending when he’s planning on putting up taxes even higher at the budget?’

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has proposed making migrants wait twice as long before they are entitled to Indefinite Leave to Remain but is set to water down her plans in the face of a backlash from the Labour left and trade unions.

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