Labour is launching a new Denmark-inspired pilot paying up to £40,000 to failed asylum seeker families to leave the country swiftly, according to reports.
The aim of the trial is to save taxpayers’ money spent on housing migrants in Britain, with hopes it could save the Government up to £20million a year.
The scheme is inspired by Denmark’s approach to the migrant crisis, where the nation pays migrant families up to £30,000 to leave – a number the Home Office are looking to beat to further incentivise exits, LBC reports.
Home Office minister Alex Norris MP said those whose claims fail are being “removed at a record level”, but the UK still has too big of a supported population, causing issues with migrants housed in hotels.
He told GB News: “We have people, a cohort of people, who failed their application and appeal and do not have prospect of settlement in this country but aren’t leaving”.
“We do offer financial inducements for people to leave” he added, claiming that essentially paying people to leave the country would save taxpayer money, as the average family put up in a hotel costs the taxpayer £158,000 – significantly more than the offer to leave.
The pilot hopes to save some £20million, “easing the burden on the taxpayer and relieving strain from public services”.
“It is absolutely the right thing to do”, he said.
Families will be able to apply to the pilot trial, receiving payments if they accept the offer within seven days and return to a deemed safe country.
Those that refuse or obstruct their departure will lose out on the scheme and could lose support in the UK.
Denmark attribute much of their success to this style of scheme, claiming they have managed to halve the number of people awaiting deportation.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said taxpayers should not be footing millions of pounds to accommodate families who “have no right to be here”, especially when others comply with the rules and leave the UK when required.
