The UK government has announced plans to require asylum seekers who are financially able to repay the cost of their accommodation and support under sweeping reforms contained in the new Immigration and Asylum Bill.

The proposed legislation, due to be introduced to Parliament, will give the Home Office new powers to recover the cost of asylum support—including accommodation and subsistence payments—from adults who have sufficient financial means.

Under the proposals, eligible migrants will pay a flat-rate monthly charge once their income exceeds a specified threshold. The Home Secretary will have the authority to set and adjust both the repayment amount and eligibility threshold to ensure the policy remains fair and does not leave migrants destitute.

According to the government, asylum seekers are expected to contribute around £10,000 in total toward the cost of the support they received, although the amount represents only a contribution rather than the full cost.

The Home Office said repayments are expected to be made primarily through direct payments, while other collection methods, including deductions through the tax and benefits systems, are also being explored.

The government added that migrants will be required to repay the full amount before becoming eligible for permanent settlement in the UK. Those who leave the country will also have to clear their outstanding balance if they wish to return in the future.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the reforms are intended to reduce the financial burden of the asylum system on taxpayers.

“The cost of asylum accommodation on the British taxpayer is too high,” Mahmood said.

“We have already reduced asylum costs by £1 billion, but it is also right that we ask those who can contribute to do so.”

“Receiving asylum support is a right, but it is also a responsibility. Once people can contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, we expect them to do so.”

The government, according to a statement on its website, said asylum accommodation and support cost taxpayers about £4 billion last year, adding that it has already reduced spending by nearly £1 billion since taking office.

It also said efforts to phase out the use of asylum hotels are continuing, with 31 hotels closed since April and hundreds of asylum seekers relocated to basic accommodation, including former military sites.

According to the Home Office, requiring repayments will ensure that migrants on the path to settlement contribute to UK society, while those without the right to remain take responsibility for the financial impact of their stay.

The department estimates that the average cost of accommodating an asylum seeker is £23.25 per person per night in dispersal accommodation and £144 per night in hotels. Weekly subsistence payments range from £9.95 to £49.18 per person.

The government also pointed to employment data showing that many refugees secure work after being granted asylum. It said one-quarter of people aged 16 to 64 granted asylum between 2015 and 2023 found employment within the same calendar year, with the figure rising to nearly 50 per cent after two years.

Among those employed eight years after receiving asylum status, 37 per cent were working full-time with median annual earnings of £23,000, while internal government analysis found that 40 per cent earned at least the annual equivalent of the national minimum wage.

The government said the Immigration and Asylum Bill represents its most significant overhaul of asylum policy in a generation, aimed at creating what it described as a “firm but fair” system, restoring control over immigration and reducing incentives for illegal migration. (Nigerian Tribune)