No, 'foreigners' do not receive a free iPhone on arrival at Dover, U.K.

The claim

A viral post on X (archived here) claims that foreigners who arrive in Dover, U.K., by dinghy receive a free iPhone. The post has garnered more than 892,000 views, 13,000 likes, and more than 1,400 comments.

The claim has also appeared on Instagram (archived here), accompanied by a photo of individuals in a liferaft wearing orange life jackets. Both posts additionally state that those arriving receive other benefits include accommodation, food, internet access, a pushbike, a weekly allowance, and additional support.

This claim gained traction after Nigel Farage, the leader and founder of Reform U.K., a right-wing political party that advocates for ending all "non-essential" immigration, made a similar statement during a September 18 interview with TalkTV (4:49): "Did you know they give them a new iPhone as soon as they get to Dover?"

However, this claim is false. No-one entering the U.K. receives a free iPhone as part of any government support scheme.

In fact

A Home Office spokesperson confirmed that the claim is false to Logically Facts, stating that "individuals on asylum support are not provided a mobile phone by the Home Office as it is not considered an essential need."

Furthermore, no government documents outlining the benefits available to people arriving in the U.K. include such a measure. 

Not all foreign nationals are eligible for the benefits listed in the post. Individuals in the U.K. without legal status cannot claim public funds. However, asylum seekers, including those arriving by small boats, do receive accommodation, cash support, additional funds for mothers and young children, maternity payments, free NHS healthcare, and access to education. Phones are not included in this list, as asylum seekers only receive basic living necessities from the state.

Charities and local churches occasionally provide second-hand phones or funds to purchase phones for asylum seekers. For instance, Solidaritech helps refugees access technology through donations, Phones Without Borders collects, repairs, and distributes used smartphones during humanitarian emergencies at European borders, and Jesuit Refugee Service U.K. gathers used smartphones and tablets to assist refugees in navigating the asylum and immigration system. However, this is a private, not government, practice and it is not systematically supported or consistent.

The verdict 

Foreign nationals arriving in Dover, U.K., do not receive a free iPhone. The Home Office confirmed this is not part of any government support scheme.