UK Announces Asylum Seekers Must Pay £10k, Details Emerge
- The UK Home Office announced that refugees granted asylum status will be required to repay around £10,000 for government-funded housing and support
- The Immigration and Asylum Bill, introduced to Parliament on June 30, sets out powers for the Home Office to recover costs from adults who received asylum support
- Refugees must pay off the full amount before qualifying for settlement, and those who leave the UK will also be required to clear the debt before returning
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Refugees granted asylum status in the United Kingdom will be required to repay approximately £10,000 to the government.
This is intended to cover some of the costs of taxpayer-funded housing and support received during the asylum process, the UK Home Office announced on June 30, 2026.
Source: Getty Images
The policy forms part of the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on the same day.
The legislation grants the Home Office new powers to recover costs from adults who have benefited from asylum support, including subsistence payments and accommodation, provided those individuals have access to sufficient funds.
How the repayment scheme will work
Eligible adults will pay off the sum in monthly instalments above a set financial threshold, ensuring that no migrant is pushed into destitution.
Payment options under consideration include direct payments to the Home Office, as well as mechanisms through the tax and benefits systems.
Crucially, full repayment of the £10,000 charge is a prerequisite for settlement eligibility. Any individual who leaves the United Kingdom and later wishes to return will also be required to settle the outstanding debt before doing so.
The Home Secretary retains the power to adjust both the charge and the relevant thresholds over time.
Source: Getty Images
UK Home Secretary on asylum seekers
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood framed the move as a matter of shared responsibility, saying the annual cost of asylum accommodation and support reached £4 billion last year, placing a significant burden on British 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 says it has already cut asylum-related spending by close to £1 billion since taking office and has moved to phase out the use of asylum hotels, with 31 facilities closed since April. Hundreds of asylum seekers have since been transferred to more basic accommodation, including former military sites.
Officials described the repayment requirement as a way for those on a pathway to settlement to contribute to British society, while ensuring that those without a right to remain take financial responsibility for the support they received.
The announcement is expected to affect a wide range of nationalities currently in the UK asylum system, including Ghanaian nationals who have been granted refugee status.
Below is the X post from the UK Home Office announcing the financial commitment for asylum seekers.
EU approves law to deport failed asylum seekers
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the European Parliament had passed sweeping new migration rules that could significantly affect Ghanaians and other Africans living in or attempting to reach Europe.
EU lawmakers voted to approve tougher migration measures, granting member states broader powers to deport failed asylum seekers.
Under the new rules, any non-EU national found to be staying illegally in a member state will be required to leave immediately or within a specified period.
Source: YEN.com.gh
