Written questions by Lowe.

How much was spent on translation in Jobcentres in the last financial year.

The total spend for jobcentres in 23/24 was £3,420,480.

What steps her Department has taken to prevent illegal immigrants claiming benefits.

All benefits claimants have to verify their identity before they can receive payments. For any claimants who aren’t British or Irish, we verify that they have a valid UK immigration status. Illegal immigrants cannot access taxpayer-funded benefits (publicly funded benefits), including Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. In order to receive such benefits, an individual must either be a British or Irish citizen or hold an immigration status that allows them to access such benefits. Whether someone holds a valid immigration status or is a British or Irish citizen is tested through DWP residency tests and verified through information from the Home Office. For DWP benefits that do not require a valid immigration status (contributory benefits), such as New-Style Jobseeker’s Allowance and Statutory Sick Pay, claimants will need to satisfy other eligibility criteria, such as having employment periods and paid sufficient national insurance contributions. To have been employed to meet the contributory benefits criteria, a valid. National Insurance number is required, meaning the identity and immigration status of the claimant has been verified.

How many people of what nationality claiming an out of work benefit are not UK citizens; and what the cost to the public purse is of such benefits.

The Department does not hold data on the current nationality of all those claiming benefits. DWP policy responsibility lies in establishing a customer’s eligibility to claim benefits. For non-UK / Irish citizens, an individual’s specific nationality does not play a role in this and the Department therefore does not consistently collect nationality information at the point of benefit claim.