Fact Check: Welfare Spending Claims and WHO Hantavirus Comments Debunked

This article, compiled by the independent charity Full Fact and published in the Evening Standard, addresses two prominent misinformation claims. First, it refutes the assertion by Conservative politicians that UK welfare spending has exceeded income tax receipts for the first time ever. Data from the Office for Budget Responsibility shows that welfare spending has actually been higher than income tax for at least the last 13 years, with forecasts indicating this trend will reverse in 2026/27. Second, the article corrects false social media rumors that the World Health Organization (WHO) stated hantavirus is spreading rapidly worldwide. Following a cluster of cases on the MV Hondius cruise ship, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus clarified that the global health risk remains low and there are no signs of a larger outbreak. The piece emphasizes the importance of verifying viral claims against official data and statements from reputable institutions like the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the WHO.