LONDON - Asylum seekers in Britain could have to repay the state around £10,000 (S$17,141) for accommodation and basic living support before becoming eligible to apply for settlement, the government said on June 29 in its latest effort to deter illegal migration.

Immigration is one of the most contested issues in British politics, consistently ranking among voters’ top concerns in opinion polls and at times fuelling protests and community tension.

The centre-left Labour Party has ratcheted up efforts to stop migrants arriving both legally and illegally, seeking to counter the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which has promised to deport up to 600,000 asylum seekers.

Interior minister Shabana Mahmood said her latest reforms were designed to reduce the burden on taxpayers.

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

Under the proposed rules, only adults who can afford to pay would be charged, with safeguards to prevent them being pushed into destitution, the government said.

The rules would not be applied retrospectively and children would be exempt.

The latest measures come at a politically sensitive moment for the Labour Party, which has faced internal divisions over how far to tighten immigration policy, as well as broader uncertainty following Keir Starmer’s announcement that he will step down as prime minister.

The interior ministry estimates that accommodating asylum seekers costs an average of £23.25 per person per night in temporary housing and £144 in hotels, plus a weekly subsistence payment.

In total the annual cost of asylum accommodation and support was estimated at about £4 billion in 2025. REUTERS

UK asylum seekers face $17,000 charge before they can apply to settle