The eye-watering sum the UK Government has paid migrants to depart Britain revealed | Politics | News | EUROtoday

The UK Government has paid migrants an eye-watering £53 million to depart the nation over the previous 4 years. In a bid to defend the transfer, the Home Office mentioned assisted voluntary returns are a less expensive approach than funding lodging for these awaiting enforced deportation.

Under a voluntary return scheme run by the Government, migrants could also be eligible to obtain as much as £3,000 in monetary assist as an incentive to return to their dwelling nation. The scheme referred to as “assisted returns” additionally explains to migrants their choices for returning dwelling, helps them receive journey paperwork corresponding to passports and pays for tickets if they’re unable to.

Migrants more than likely to obtain the cash are:

• Returning to a ‘developing country’, as outlined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
• Refused asylum within the UK
• A sufferer of contemporary slavery, as confirmed by UK Visas and Immigration
• Afamily group that can journey collectively, together with a baby below 18 years outdated
• Under 18 and travelling alone
• Under 21 and a care leaver
• Sleeping tough
• Those needing extra assist with their return – for instance, as a result of they’ve a medical situation

In latest years, the variety of individuals making use of for assisted returns has risen sharply, with 6,799 individuals travelling dwelling this manner in 2024 in comparison with 2,179 individuals in 2022, experiences The Independent.

Between 2021 and 2024, 13,637 individuals have taken an assisted return, in accordance with Home Office knowledge.

Last yr, over half of the overseas nationals who accepted assisted returns had been from Brazil, with 3,573 taking on the provide. The second highest nationality was India, with 915 individuals returning in 2024 and Honduras was third with 271.

Despite the rising variety of individuals choosing assisted returns, the Home Office insists the voluntary return scheme is a “much more cost-effective alternative for the taxpayer” than paying for lodging and assist for these dealing with deportation from the UK.

Sir Keir Starmer boasted in March that migrant returns had reached the best charge in eight years below Labour.

He revealed greater than 24,000 migrants have been deported since Labour got here to workplace and pointed to a 21% improve in enforced returns and a 16% improve in overseas nationwide offenders being faraway from the UK since July 5.

Yet, to this point, 2025 has been the worst yr in historical past for unlawful immigrants crossing the Channel.

Defence Secretary John Healey conceded that Britain had “lost control of its borders” after 1,194 migrants made the damaging Channel crossing final Saturday.