Joshua Bishop, 27, claims he’s entitled to DWP payments as ‘I’m a god-damn graduate not some random refugee’Neil Shaw Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle) and Natalie King
13:34, 31 Mar 2025
Joshua Bishop shows others how they can travel while on benefits(Image: Joshua Bishop/TikTok)
A graduate on benefits has sparked controversy by claiming he used his Universal Credit to finance an adventure to Japan, and is now sharing tips for others to follow suit. Joshua Bishop, 27, has been documenting his Japanese escapades online, boasting that he’s funded the journey with his benefit payments.
Joshua claims he’s evading the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in the Japanese mountains, cheekily suggesting he’s costing the UK Government ‘thousands of pounds’. The ex-business student contrasted his lifestyle with that of working Britons who are ‘told when to have lunch’ by their employers, while he receives ‘free money’ every fortnight to travel the world and ‘expand his knowledge’.
Joshua is contemplating a trip to Portugal next but acknowledges he must return to the UK soon to prevent his benefits from being cut off. The former student, who receives £400 a month in benefits, says he’s now keen to guide others on how to ‘maximise’ their claims.
‘I used my DWP benefits to pay for trip to Japan and you can too’
Joshua stated: “I was abused in the UK for claiming benefits when I was in need so I used the money to fund my dream trip to Japan and made my haters look like mugs. “[I’m] surprised any of them are still trying to hate me. Say what you want but no one’s calling me a dosser anymore at least.
“I can’t believe the UK government gives me free money every two weeks to travel the world and expand my knowledge. I’m also showing people on benefits what’s possible and that you should stand up to bullies.
“I’m currently in Japan and I’m thinking of going to Portugal next after I return home to avoid being sanctioned and save up a little. People made fun of me for being on Universal Credit but I’m in Kyoto and they are told by another man when they can eat lunch. Revenge is sweet.”
After being contacted by reporters Joshua said he is now back in the UK after ‘taking the correct steps to remain compliant with the Universal Credit system’. He claims he’s using his platform to ‘educate and support’ others about the benefits they could be entitled to because the system ‘isn’t doing its job properly’. Joshua had previously said that to keep his benefits payments he had to attend weekly 30-minute meetings and provide detailed evidence he’s looking for a role.
He captioned one TikTok in December with ‘It’s a full-time job trying to claim benefits with none of the positives. Most workers would have a breakdown if they had to live as a Universal Credit bandit for a week’. Earlier this week he claimed he didn’t want to return to the UK as he will be ‘shamed’ and ‘guilted’ by the job centre.
Joshua Bishop claims he makes the videos to educate people about the benefits system(Image: Joshua Bishop/TikTok)
In one video Joshua even said: “[I’m] Hiding from the DWP and Citizens Advice in the Japanese mountains because you’re costing them thousands by helping people on benefits get their rightful claim and not gaslighting and manipulating them to save the UK Government money.
“Pencil pushers can’t stand me because I’m actually helping vulnerable people with their rightful claim. The job market in 2025 is so bad in the UK, yet every day is Friday for me out here. No wonder I don’t want to come home, I’ll just get depressed again sending out CV after CV and getting shamed and guilted by the job centre.
“[I] burned my reputation back there anyway.” Joshua said that after completing his undergraduate in 2021 he worked in retail, factories and even as a freelance music producer and video editor. He hoped that a master’s degree would give him an advantage over less-qualified candidates, but by January, he confessed that he hadn’t secured a job in related fields such as sales, marketing, and HR.
The former student stated that he spent approximately two hours per day on tasks to receive his Universal Credit payments and had to exchange emails with his career coach five times a week. He criticised the benefits system for trying to ‘shame people’ into finding a job and complained about being treated like ‘some random refugee’.
Joshua commented: “They obviously have this method of trying to get people off [Universal Credit] with guilt or shame, but for some people, it just makes them more stubborn. Like ‘screw you. I’m not going to feel any shame about coming here and trying to get my money off you’. Staff are heavy-handed and say things like ‘make sure you do it or you won’t get your payment’. It’s psychological manipulation.
“They should deal with it on a case-by-case basis. I’m a god-damn graduate not some random refugee or something trying to milk the system.”
His videos, which he claims were shot in Japan, have amassed over 60,000 views. One TikTok user responded: “This is what we’re paying our taxes on. ” Another remarked: “You are generating hatred for the poorest people in the country. What’s the point?”
Joshua Bishop funded a ‘dream’ trip to Japan using Universal Credit(Image: Kennedy News/@qerdisvou)
A third commented: “I have the luxury of knowing I contribute to society.” A fourth warned: “You gotta be careful with this as you are basically showing you don’t have true intentions behind your benefits which can get you sanctioned. This video is evidence if someone reports you. “
In response to the backlash, Joshua stated: “My journey to Japan was a deeply personal and inspiring experience and I ensured that I followed all necessary requirements regarding my Universal Credit claim. I took the correct steps to remain compliant with the system.
“Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma surrounding UC claimants, often fuelled by misunderstandings about the system and the people who rely on it. I use my platform to educate and support others, helping them understand their rights and ensuring they can access the assistance they are legally entitled to.
“Many people don’t realise the full scope of what UC allows, and I have received countless messages from individuals who now feel empowered to claim the support they need to improve their lives. I welcome discussions about how UC works and how we can better support those who rely on it. My goal has always been to inspire others and show that circumstances don’t have to define your opportunities in life. Thank you for reaching out.
“Regarding my comments about ‘hiding from DWP,’ I understand how this could have been misinterpreted. This was never meant to suggest I was doing anything unlawful and it was a light-hearted remark reflecting the unfortunate reality that benefit claimants often face harassment and stigma when discussing their circumstances openly.
“Many people on UC feel pressure to justify themselves, and my comment was meant to highlight how unfair that is, not to imply wrongdoing. I’m back in the UK. I need my UC claim to support myself. I borrowed money to help fund the trip as well.
“If I was trying to make people on benefits look bad I would be fake claiming mobility benefits and make videos while partying in Ibiza. I used it to make educational content about Japan, a country known for high standards, efficient public systems and hard workers. We should all learn from them as I certainly have.
“Would they rather I spent it on cigs and booze? None of the jobsworths bullying me graft as hard as Japanese people so they should get off their high horse. My Japan videos are worth more to the British public than a DWP or cab pencil pusher’s government-funded yearly wage of £30,000+.
“They’re the people whose funds should be getting cut, not benefit claimants. They are supposed to help people with their claims, yet [according to a study by think tank Policy in Practice] there’s £22.7 billion in unclaimed benefits per year. They’re not doing their job properly, are they?”
The DWP has been contacted for comment.
AloJapan.com