UK’s £370m Asylum Deal with Rwanda Revealed by Watchdog

CNTLIVE AUDIO

UK's £370m Asylum Deal with Rwanda Revealed by Watchdog

Play Episode Pause Episode

Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 30 seconds

00:00 / 1:51

Acast YouTube

RSS Feed

Share

Link

Embed

The UK to Pay £370m to Rwanda for Asylum Seeker Relocation Plan

According to the National Audit Office (NAO), the UK government will pay Rwanda at least £370m as part of its scheme to relocate asylum seekers there. Additionally, up to £150,000 will be allocated for each person sent to Rwanda over a five-year period.

Labour has criticized these figures, calling them a “national scandal.” However, the Home Office defended the plan, stating that “doing nothing is not without significant costs.” They argued that without action, the cost of housing asylum seekers could reach £11bn per year by 2026.

The scheme, aimed at deterring illegal crossings of the English Channel, has faced legal challenges and has not yet relocated anyone to Rwanda. The government is hoping for deportation flights to begin by spring, pending approval by the House of Lords.

Under the plan, the UK will pay money into a fund supporting economic growth in Rwanda, along with additional payments to cover processing and relocation costs. The total cost over five years is estimated at £370m, with the possibility of further payments if more than 300 people are relocated.

The NAO report did not assess whether the scheme is value for money, stating that its success in deterring illegal migration would determine its effectiveness. Labour has pledged to scrap the Rwanda policy if elected, describing it as an expensive “gimmick.”