The Labour Party has spent nearly £40 million on a program that pays migrants to return to their countries of origin, according to The Independent.
After coming to power in July 2024, the UK Home Office significantly expanded the use of the voluntary return program (assisted returns), under which migrants are paid up to £3,000 to leave the country.
By March of this year, 17,346 migrants had taken advantage of this offer, costing a total of £35.7 million. An additional £4 million was spent in April on a yet-to-be-disclosed number of migrants. Thus, the total expenditure during Labour’s time in power has reached £39.7 million.
According to the latest Home Office data, the number of such returns has increased sharply compared to the same period under the Conservatives. At that time, 6,410 returns were made at a total cost of £24.2 million.
People who do not have the right to reside in the UK can participate in the program. They are given a prepaid card with funds that they can use after returning, including for job searching or housing in their home country. Additionally, the program covers the cost of airfare.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood argues that the voluntary return program is beneficial for taxpayers as it is significantly cheaper than housing asylum seekers in hotels. Last year, she stated that she was considering increasing payments to migrants, and in March, she launched a pilot project under which 150 families are offered up to £40,000 to leave the UK.
The Home Office reported that the average cost of a voluntary return, including airfare, is £4,000, while the average cost of a forced return is £48,000. Meanwhile, housing one family in a hotel for asylum seekers costs £158,000 per year.
On Thursday, Ms. Mahmood stated that the Labour government is taking a “vital step” in efforts to strengthen control over the UK’s borders. Recent data has shown that the number of returns of foreign criminals and individuals illegally in the country under Labour has reached a nearly ten-year high. Among them are 6,103 migrants who arrived in the UK on small boats.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives have stated that instead of “paying them to leave,” the government should strengthen measures to prevent the illegal arrival of migrants.
Conservative criticism and Home Office response
Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary from the Conservative Party, stated: “Labour is paying illegal immigrants to leave the country instead of stopping their arrival. Only 7 percent of those who arrived on small boats have been returned since the election, and only a small fraction of people whose asylum applications were rejected are ultimately deported. None of this will change as long as Labour refuses to reform the welfare system and weak asylum rules that allow illegal migrants to stay in the country. The Conservative Party would put an end to this practice. Our border plan involves the forced deportation of all illegal migrants, eliminating the need to pay them to leave.”
A Home Office spokesperson stated: “We are saving millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money by encouraging those in the country illegally to leave voluntarily. By increasing both forced and voluntary returns, this government has already returned over 80,000 people.”
In total, since 2021, the Home Office has paid £83.6 million to the company Prepaid Payment Solutions for services related to the voluntary return program, according to invoices analyzed by public procurement experts Tussell. These funds also cover the issuance of prepaid cards, ensuring their operation abroad, and a system for monitoring expenses.
Individuals offered participation in the program are subject to a “re-entry ban,” meaning they cannot return to the UK for a specified period. Nearly half of the program’s participants last year were citizens of Brazil, according to the Home Office.
Support for the program by human rights activists
The voluntary return program is supported by some human rights organizations, including the Refugee Council. They stated that this approach ensures more dignified treatment of people and is significantly cheaper than their forced detention or deportation.
The organization’s External Relations Director, Imran Hussain, stated: “We know that if people have enough time and support to make such important decisions, they are much more likely to cooperate with the Home Office within the voluntary return process. A humane return process should also be part of a broader, fair, and controlled asylum system that ensures dignified treatment of people. This is how the government can restore public trust: by helping those who need support to rebuild their lives and integrate into new communities, and others—where safe—to support in voluntarily returning home.”
