Foreigners take 80% of all new UK jobs – Britons 'written off'

Foreigners take 80% of all new UK jobs – Britons 'written off' Warning that UK workers are being left on welfare triggers demands for an end to the 'open-borders, low-wage economic model' Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By David Williamson , Chief Political Commentator 17:46, Tue, Oct 13, 2026 Updated: 18:12, Tue, Oct 13, 2026 People from overseas are at the heart of the UK workforce (Image: In Pictures via Getty) Just one in five jobs added to payrolls between 2014 and the end of last year went to British nationals, according to a major new report that warns of Britons being “written off” by the welfare system. An analysis by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) found British nationals accounted for only 734,000 of the 3.7million additional payroll jobs created during this period. EU nationals held 408,000 of the positions. The number held by non-EU nationals went up by about 2.5million. The CSJ warns that annual spending on working-age benefits has increased by £50billion in real terms since 2019-20. The think tank argues “successive governments have relied on low-skill migration to fill jobs”. It claims that between January 2020 and December 2025, the number of payroll jobs held by British nationals fell in nine of the UK’s 12 nations and regions, but those held by non-EU nationals “increased in every one”. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Researchers found Scotland had the largest fall in “British national” payroll jobs, with a fall of 53,000. This compares with falls of 32,000 in the West Midlands, 31,700 in the South-east, 29,400 in the East of England, and 26,500 in London. Get the latest politics news - straight from our team in Westminster and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Sir Iain Duncan Smith founded the Centre for Social Justice (Image: Getty) The CSJ says the growth since 2020 “has been concentrated in sectors such as social care, hospitality and retail”. Health and social work “accounted for 29% of the increase in non-EU nationals on payrolls”. This was followed by roles in administrative and support services (16%), accommodation and food services (12%) and wholesale and retail (10%). The think tank alleges the way migration is treated in official economic forecasts “encourages governments to prioritise increases in the size of the economy over improvements in living standards”. It points to how total GDP went up by 26% in real terms between 2006 and 2025 but “GDP per person grew by only 10%”. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Because Government decisions are based on forecasts for the following five, the CSJ claims, positive effects such as an “immediate increase in workers and tax receipts” are picked up but not “longer-term costs that emerge as migrants become eligible for welfare and grow older”. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Andy Burnham dealt huge blow in nightmare poll for PM MI5 chief issues urgent warning over terror threat linked to UK's migrant crisis The report claims Britain has imported workers “to expand headline GDP while allowing millions of people already here to drift away from the labour market”. It states that “employers have gained unprecedented access to overseas labour while taxpayers have absorbed the growing cost of domestic worklessness”. Former Conservative work and pensions secretary Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: “The report shows that this crisis extends beyond the benefit system. The truth is that successive governments have used welfare over decades to compensate parts of the country for economic failure rather than creating the conditions for prosperity. Compounding this, ministers have repeatedly pulled the easy lever of immigration rather than providing a better deal for left-behind communities.” The CSJ claims that about “6.7million people across England, Wales and Scotland now receive at least one out-of-work benefit” – equivalent to around one in six working-age adults. Get the latest politics news straight to your phone Join us on WhatsApp Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: “This report is a damning indictment of how Labour and Conservative governments have chosen an open-borders, low-wage economic model that writes off millions of our own people. Reform UK will end the welfare trap, halt mass immigration and get British workers back into jobs.” Shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood said: “Labour have sent unemployment up and up with their tax raids on businesses and endless red tape. And their failure to secure our borders means more and more low-skilled migrants are arriving. "This combination means people are fighting harder and harder to get jobs. And Labour are making it worse by failing to offer good opportunities for young people to build good careers, preferring instead to let them walk into a life on welfare.” A government spokesperson said: “The vast majority of this country’s workforce is made up of UK nationals, and we have introduced a number of changes including a new skills-based migration system to put British workers first and welcome the high-skilled talent that our economy needs. We are also reforming the welfare system by creating almost a million work opportunities for young people through our Youth Guarantee, while investing £3.5billion to help disabled people and those with long-term health conditions move closer to the labour market.” Immigration Employment Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments