In the year ending June 2023, ONS statistics estimate that 1.2 million people migrated into the UK.

The UK is currently spending more money on their policy with Rwanda where asylum seekers are sent to a third country to settle rather than allowing them status in the UK. Due to the asylum process in the UK thousands are waiting years for their asylum status so they can settle safely and legally. By spending on a new policy rather than improving the current status of many lives, how will this effect thousands who travel for a hope of a safer life.

 

Annual Asylum Support

The cost of the asylum system has increased due to, the increase in small boat crossings, the market price of accommodation, the resettlement grants for Afghanistan and Ukraine.

In the year ending in 2023 over 67,000 applications for asylum were made which totals to around 84,000 people. Spending included accommodation, food and other supplies.

Around £4bn per year is spent on immigration in the UK including £8m on accommodation for people seeking asylum.

 

 

The cost of the Rwanda Policy

The UK government have now set in motion their Rwanda policy where asylum seekers entering the UK without legal documentation could be sent to Rwanda. The government has declared Rwanda a safe destination despite many activists expressing concern as people are sent to an unknown location expected to restart their lives after an already stressful journey.

This policy has been reported to have already cost more than the resettlement process in the UK. By the end of 2023 the UK had sent £ 240m to Rwanda and it is estimated by the National Audit Office that over 5 years they will spend £370m.

On top of this, for each person sent to Rwanda the UK will pay £150,874 to provide for accommodation, language, training, education, professional development and food over a 5 year period.

The hope for this policy was to deter people from dangerous small boat crossings as there is a chance they could be sent to Rwanda. However, so far this has not decreased the number of crossings and many still attempt to travel.

 

 

The cost to the public

The Migration Observatory has reported that the effect of the increasing migrants entering the UK is harsher on the already settle migrants. The effect to UK-born workers is small or non-existent as migrant workers job prospects and skills are often similar and easily substituted by employers, this has been a trend the Migration Observatory has found.