Migrants in Britain should repay asylum expenses, politician suggests

British MP Jo White has proposed that migrants who are granted asylum should gradually repay the costs incurred by the state on their applications. The measure could also act as a deterrent, she said. She has addressed the proposal to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, with a view to it becoming part of the forthcoming budget, GB News reports.

The UK spends around five billion pounds a year on the asylum system, more than two billion of which goes on housing more than 32,000 migrants in hotels and their weekly allowances.

The MP likened the repayment system to student loans - migrants should be able to work and use their earnings to cover their costs in arrears.

A similar proposal has previously been put forward by former Border Force chief Tony Smith, who estimates that the state could recoup up to half of the costs incurred in this way.

(mja)