Since the 1950s, the UK has been legally obliged under the Refugee Convention to properly consider the claims of asylum-seekers arriving in our country. There is also a long-standing legal requirement to provide support to those asylum-seekers who would otherwise be left destitute on our streets.
Applicants for support must provide details of their income and assets, so an assessment can be made of their risk of destitution. If they provide misleading information, break the rules of their accommodation, or do anything else to breach the conditions of their support, it can be suspended or withdrawn.
Some people believe a better approach is to continue speeding up the processing of asylum claims, so that people who are genuine refugees can be accepted, those who are not can be rejected and removed, and either way, we can keep working to cut the amount of money spent on asylum support. In addition, we will continue taking strong action to reduce the number of people entering the UK asylum system in the first place:
So they have started a petition advocates for the cessation of financial and other forms of support provided to asylum seekers by the Government. The support includes shelter, food, medical care (including optical and dental), and cash assistance. The petition urges the Government to discontinue these measures, as they may inadvertently incentivize illegal migration, particularly through the English Channel.
Objective of the Petition
The petition calls on the Government to stop providing financial and other support to asylum seekers, believing that these provisions may encourage illegal migration.
Legal Requirement for Asylum Seeker Support
While the Government is focused on tackling illegal migration and ending the use of asylum hotels, there is still a legal obligation to provide support to asylum seekers, especially those who would otherwise face homelessness.
Government’s Response to the Petition
The Government appreciates the petitioners’ concerns and explains the situation with the following points:
Background of the Current Situation
Since the 1950s, the UK has been legally required under the Refugee Convention to fairly consider asylum claims. Furthermore, there has been a long-standing legal obligation to support asylum seekers at risk of destitution.
| Requirement | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Support Eligibility | Asylum seekers must provide details of their income and assets to assess risk of destitution. |
| Non-compliance Consequences | If asylum seekers provide misleading information or break accommodation rules, support can be withdrawn. |
Upon the Government’s arrival in office in July, it inherited an asylum system under immense pressure, with a backlog of tens of thousands of cases. To address this, asylum hotels were used, peaking at 400 hotels, at a cost of nearly £9 million per day by autumn 2023.
Government’s Plan for Change
The Government’s Plan for Change aims to clear the asylum backlog, reduce the use of hotels, and increase the removal of individuals with no right to remain in the UK.
| Action | Goal | Progress |
|---|---|---|
| Clearing the Asylum Backlog | Process more asylum claims faster | Increased processing of cases—January to March 2025 saw the second highest number of initial decisions ever recorded. |
| Reducing Hotel Use | Cut asylum hotel usage by half and eliminate them entirely by the end of this Parliament | £500 million savings from reduced asylum hotel costs. |
| Enforcement Program | Increase removal of individuals with no right to stay | Nearly 30,000 people deported by 18th May, including 8,511 former asylum seekers, marking a 25% increase over the previous year. |
Petition’s Proposal and Government’s Response
The petition proposes immediate cessation of support to asylum seekers. However, the Government argues that such a move could lead to increased homelessness, including among vulnerable groups such as women and children.
| Current Rough Sleepers | Autumn 2024 Data |
|---|---|
| Total Rough Sleepers | 4,667 |
| Impact of Petition’s Proposal | Ending support would likely lead to a significant increase in rough sleepers. |
The Government believes the better approach is to continue expediting the asylum claim process, so genuine refugees can be accepted, and those without valid claims can be removed.
Additional Measures to Address Asylum System Issues
In addition to the measures above, the Government is focused on reducing the number of individuals entering the UK asylum system.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Border Security Command | Tackling criminal gangs responsible for smuggling individuals across the English Channel, with improved cooperation with French authorities. |
| Immigration White Paper | Introducing plans to reduce net migration, prevent abuse of the asylum system (e.g., claims after entering on student or work visas), and restore order. |
FAQ
Why is the Government providing support to asylum seekers?
The UK is legally required under the Refugee Convention to consider asylum claims and provide support to those at risk of destitution while their cases are processed.
What is the cost of asylum seeker support?
At the peak in autumn 2023, asylum hotels cost nearly £9 million per day. However, the Government’s measures have already reduced asylum hotel costs by £500 million annually.
What is the Government doing to reduce asylum seekers?
The Government is increasing asylum claim processing speeds, targeting organized criminal gangs involved in people smuggling, and cracking down on abuses of the asylum system.
Why is ending support for asylum seekers a concern?
Ending support could significantly increase rough sleepers, particularly vulnerable groups like women and children. The Government believes speeding up the asylum process is a better solution.
What are the future plans for the asylum system?
The Government plans to halve asylum hotel use and end it entirely by the end of this Parliament. Additionally, enforcement actions have led to a substantial increase in deportations, and measures are being implemented to reduce net migration and prevent asylum abuse.
