Labour’s ‘absurd’ plan handing failed asylum seeker families up to £40,000 to leave Britain branded an ‘insult’ to taxpayers
Labour’s ‘absurd’ plan handing failed asylum seeker families up to £40,000 to leave Britain branded an ‘insult’ to taxpayers
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood faces backlash for her latest initiative, which offers up to £40,000 to asylum seeker families who have failed their claims to depart the UK voluntarily. The scheme has drawn accusations of undermining public funds, with opponents labeling it a financial burden on taxpayers.
Yesterday, the Home Office notified 150 families that they could receive £10,000 per individual for up to four members if they agree to leave the country. If the program proves effective, it may be expanded to include thousands more families without a legal right to remain in Britain.
Critics call payments ‘eye-watering’ and ‘absurd’
Immediate reactions from critics were sharp, with some calling the financial incentives ‘eye-watering’ and ‘absurd.’ They argue that such generous sums might incentivize more illegal migrants to arrive in Britain, lured by the promise of free money.
“This is an insult to the British taxpayer,” said Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip. “Shabana Mahmood has to resort to paying illegal immigrants to leave because she has utterly failed to forcibly remove them – only six per cent of small boat arrivals have been removed under this Labour Government.”
The policy is more substantial than existing voluntary departure incentives, which are limited to £3,000 per person. Mahmood’s decision aims to reduce ongoing costs associated with housing these families in migrant accommodations.
Labour also abandoned the previous government’s Rwanda plan, which would have relocated adult asylum seekers to East Africa for lodging claims there. The new scheme, effective immediately, seeks to address perceived failures in the current immigration system.
Migrant Arrivals at Gravelines Beach
Earlier this week, migrants rushed across Gravelines beach in northern France to board smugglers’ boats heading to Britain. Meanwhile, UK Border Force brought scores of arrivals into Ramsgate port in Kent as Shabana Mahmood unveiled her plans in a London speech.
The program applies only to those from countries deemed safe, prompting questions about why they should be compensated to leave. Alp Mehmet, Migration Watch UK chairman, criticized the handouts, stating: “If these people have gone through due process and can be removed, they should be removed without being paid to do so.”
“Offering up to £40,000 and a taxpayer-funded trip to those who could be returned to their home countries without such a generous inducement is absurd,” Mehmet added. “This risks encouraging more illegal arrivals, who know they’ll still get a £10,000 payout if they fail to stay.”
The Home Office is also preparing to use physical force to remove families who refuse the offer, including children, if they can be sent back to their countries. A consultation with police, education, and care professionals is underway to determine acceptable force levels during removals.
Speaking at the IPPR think-tank, Mahmood emphasized the potential cost savings. “Where voluntary removal is refused, we will escalate to enforced removal for those who can be returned to their safe home country,” she said. “We must ensure families are removed in a humane and effective manner.”
“Shabana Mahmood has kicked hardworking British taxpayers in the teeth,” said Reform’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf. “Nearly 200,000 illegal migrants have arrived from France over the past eight years because the Tories and Labour treat Britain like a global food bank.”
