The Telegraph clarifies visa report after overstating arrivals under ‘global talent’ scheme

The Telegraph has amended a report that overstated the scale of Britain’s “global talent” visa route for creatives.

An article published on 25 August, headlined “Taxpayer-funded company helps foreign artists secure visas for £100”, initially suggested that 948,000 people had entered the UK on global talent visas by the end of 2024. In fact, as the body of the piece made clear, the figure refers to the total number of legal arrivals to the UK during that period across all visa categories, of which the global talent route is only a small contributor.

The piece, written by Arts Editor Craig Simpson, examined Writing Our Legacy, a Brighton-based organisation funded by the Arts Council and National Lottery, which has offered endorsement letters to writers seeking entry under the global talent scheme for literature. The company charges members £100 for the service, on top of its £20 to £50 membership fees.

The global talent visa pathway allows individuals judged to have exceptional ability or promise in fields such as literature, dance and fashion to live and work in Britain for up to five years, with the right to bring dependants. Since 2019, Nigerians have been the largest group of applicants under the literature strand.

The Telegraph correction makes clear that the overall number of 948,000 cited in the standfirst of the article represented the UK’s total legal arrivals in 2024, not those admitted through the global talent visa. The editors added a note acknowledging the error.

This case again highlights how misleading impressions can be created when context is misplaced or headlines and standfirsts are not consistent with the detail of the reporting. At a time when immigration policy is politically charged, accuracy in figures and framing is vital.