No, Rishi Sunak isn't offering £75,000 to British citizens to leave the U.K.

What's the claim?

Social media users have claimed that Rishi Sunak, the U.K. Prime Minister and Conservative leader, is offering people £75,000 to leave the country.

Many videos (archived here) have emerged on TikTok discussing Sunak's alleged plan to pay British citizens £75,000 to emigrate. In one such video (archived here), the speaker criticizes Sunak's purported proposal to curb migration by incentivizing British citizens to leave the country with substantial financial offers. The speaker says this means the government has the money to take such steps but neglects those in need.

The narrative was also shared on Facebook. One user posted, "Just read that Rishi Sunak is paying people £75k to leave the U.K. Anyone know how I sign up?" Archived versions of this and other similar posts can be found here and here. 

Screenshot of Facebook posts. (Source: Facebook/modified by Logically Facts)

However, no such government announcement has been made. The claim initially appeared on TikTok in June 2023 from an account called Bulls Nose News, which describes itself as "satire/parody."

What are the facts?

We found that this claim was first shared on TikTok in June 2023 (archived here) by an account named Bulls Nose News (archived here), which describes itself as "satire/parody," indicating its content is meant to be humorous or not taken literally. The bio of the account reads, "Here Lies The Truth, News You Can Trust | Satire/Parody."

The video was posted with the caption "Rishi Sunak to pay British Citizens to leave the U.K.," accompanied by hashtags such as #joke, #parody, #BNN, #BullsNoseNews, #satire, #satirenews, #satirecomedy, and #comedy.

Screenshot of the TikTok video posted by Bulls Nose News. (Source: TikTok)

In the 36-second clip, the narrator claims that Sunak announced the plans "to make migration figures look better to the Conservative base" and "bring down net migration." The narrator adds that the amount is £75,000 plus the cost of shipping one's belongings, and the video concludes with the narrator accepting the money and departing. The video has garnered over 202,000 likes and was reposted to YouTube (archived here) and TikTok (archived here) on June 4, 2024.

Bulls Nose News's about section (archived here) section also clarifies its satirical nature, stating, "The Bulls Nose or Bulls Nose News (BNN) is a satirical parody site that is so dangerously close to the bone that sometimes we feel as if we are presenting the actual news."

Despite the claim's origin as a satire or parody, other social media users have shared it as genuine news.

Logically Facts contacted the site and was told, "Yes, the Bulls Nose News is 100 percent a satirical news operation. All videos are tagged with this to make it clear to anyone who looks that it is a post designed for comedic effect."

Is there any such policy paying people £75,000 to leave the U.K.?

There is currently no policy that pays individuals £75,000 to leave the U.K. We also found no evidence that Sunak had made any such statement. Moreover, the Conservative Party's 2024 manifesto, which outlines its policies in the event of winning the general election, does not include any provision for such a payment.

While the U.K. government does not currently have a £75,000 payment scheme for those leaving the U.K., there are other initiatives and proposals aimed at relocation, including schemes for public sector workers considering moves within the U.K. aimed at talent distribution and economic leveling up in different parts of the U.K. The U.K. also offers voluntary repatriation programs designed for non-U.K. citizens, under which individuals receive guidance through the process of returning to their home country. 

These initiatives are designed to address specific needs and circumstances rather than offering a blanket payment for leaving the country and differ significantly from the viral claim about paying British citizens £75,000 to leave the country.

The verdict

The claim that the U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is paying people £75,000 to leave the U.K. has originated from a satirical account. Such a policy is not stated in the Conservative manifesto or other governmental sources. Anyone saying it is a fact is incorrect. Therefore, we mark this claim as false.