Migrants who are brought to the UK to live with their partner cost the British economy £5.6billion over a lifetime, Government advisers have found.
According to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), more than half of those who move to the country to be with their partner remain unemployed.
There were an estimated 51,000 migrant partners in the UK between 2022 and 2023.
And each of those husbands, wives and partners are expected to take an average of £109,000 from the taxpayers' pockets throughout their lifetimes.
Altogether, that costs the British economy a staggering total of £5.6billion.
MAC say the partners initially make a small positive contribution to the economy.
At this time, they are not eligible for most benefits and are required to pay visa fees.
However, once they secure Indefinite Leave to Remain status, this changes significantly - in fact, MAC estimates the average partner will claim £2,400 a year in benefits straight after settlement.
Migrants who are brought to the UK to live with their partner cost the British economy £5.6billion over a lifetime, government advisers have found
|GETTY
These taxpayer costs increase over time through the use of the NHS, pensions and social care.
Additionally, on average, the overseas partners pay just £8,600 in tax in their first year - compared to around £18,500 paid by a British adult of the same age - due to a lack of high earners.
In fact, only the top 10 per cent of migrant partners ever pay more into the system than they take out.
In contrast, Britons in the same age range are actually expected to contribute £110,000 to the British economy throughout their lifetimes.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
MAC, which advises ministers on immigration policy, say its findings show the migrants are a net negative to overall public finances.
The analysis only covered migrants who arrived on British shores before April 2024, which was when the Conservatives raised the minimum income needed to bring in a partner from £18,600 to £29,000.
There were actually plans to further raise this threshold to £38,700, but these were scrapped after Labour won the General Election.
Now Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has introduced stricter regulations for permanent stay, such as stronger English skills and requiring the partner to earn at least £12,750 for three to five years.
Shabana Mahmood has introduced stricter regulations for permanent stay, such as stronger English skills and requiring the partner to earn at least £12,750 for three to five years
| GETTYMAC also studied the cost of asylum seekers to the British economy, finding that they are likely to cost taxpayers "hundreds of thousands of pounds" and make an "unambiguously negative" contribution to the economy.
The study cited research from the Netherlands, which put the "lifetime net fiscal impact" of each asylum seeker at £390,000, while Australia was at £198,000.
"Low employment rates and wages, high rates of economic inactivity and their exemption from the 'no recourse to public funds' rule," were the reasons cited by the watchdog.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter