The UK government has announced plans to require asylum seekers to repay approximately £10,000 (around $13,000) for accommodation and living support before they can apply for settlement. The new policy, introduced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, will apply to adults earning above a yet-to-be-defined income threshold. Payments will be means-tested and deducted from wages or through the tax and benefits system, similar to student loans. Children and those below the threshold will be exempt.
The Home Office stated the measure aims to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers, citing £4 billion spent on asylum support last year. Critics argue the policy does not address systemic delays in the asylum process, which often leave individuals in temporary housing for extended periods.
The proposal is part of broader immigration reforms, including plans to remove 45,000 people with no legal right to remain over the next decade. The Labour Party, facing pressure from Nigel Farage's Reform UK, has also intensified efforts to curb both legal and illegal immigration.