The Framing of Immigration and Support for Redistribution: Experimental Evidence from the UK

An extensive literature focuses on the link between immigration and support for the welfare state. However, experimental research in this area is still in its infancy and has focused primarily on the effects of the perceptions of the number or characteristics of immigrants on support for the welfare state (Senik et al. 2009; Ford, 2015; Naumann and Stoetzer, 2015). This paper contributes to this emerging literature by analyzing a related but different question: Does the way the economic costs/benefits of immigration are framed by politicians and the media influence individual support for the welfare state? We analyze this question using a survey experiment on 3000 individuals in the United Kingdom. Respondents to our survey were randomly assigned to three groups. The control group received no prior information on immigration before answering questions on redistribution. The two treatment groups received information that indicates that migrants either present a drain on the welfare state or contribute positively to the public purse. The level of support for redistribution was then assessed using a question that asks whether respondents support higher social spending even if it means higher taxes. Our results show that framing of immigration clearly matters for the welfare state and that negative framing of immigration significantly reduces support for redistribution. These findings offer important insights into the ongoing debates over welfare entitlements for immigrants across the European Union.