(UK flag. Photo by Unsplash)
The UK government has introduced new reforms that will require asylum seekers who can afford it to pay around £10,000 towards the cost of their housing and financial support before they can apply for settlement in Britain.
The Home Office announced the measures via a statement online on Tuesday, stating that migrants expected to contribute will need to repay the amount to become eligible for indefinite leave to remain.
It noted that new reforms would see asylum seekers pay towards the cost of their housing and financial support, with migrants who can afford to expected to pay around £10,000 to be eligible for settlement.
Under the proposed rule, those who leave the UK will also be required to settle any outstanding dues if they wish to return.
Payments are intended to be means-tested, with options for monthly contributions or deductions from benefits, as well as safeguards to prevent individuals from being left destitute.
The policy forms part of efforts to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers.
The annual cost of asylum accommodation and support currently stands at around £4 billion.
Home Office officials described the change as a way of ensuring that those who benefit from state support eventually contribute when they are able.
Explaining the rationale behind the policy, the Interior Minister, Shabana Mahmood, said the reforms were designed to reduce the burden on taxpayers, stating that while receiving asylum support is a right, it is also a responsibility, and that once people are able to contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, they are expected to do so.
The reforms are expected to be considered by MPs shortly as the government seeks to manage rising migration-related expenses while maintaining support for genuine asylum claims.
