Key Facts

• The UK government plans to require people granted asylum to repay around £10,000 towards the cost of their accommodation and support once they start earning, with adults who have sufficient funds being asked to pay off the sum over time.
• The repayment will be required from those who have refugee status or indefinite leave to remain, which allows migrants to live and work in the UK, and must be paid off before they can become eligible for settled status.
• Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that the changes would demonstrate "asylum support is a right, but it is also a responsibility" and that once people can contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, they are expected to do so.
• The Refugee Council has criticized the plans, calling them "unfair" and "impractical", and stating that they would make it harder for families to rebuild their lives and stand on their own feet, with its director of external affairs Imran Hussain arguing that many asylum seekers need support because the Home Office bans them from working while their claims are being assessed.
• According to the Home Office, around £4bn of taxpayers' money was spent on supporting asylum seekers last year, with the average cost of housing an asylum seeker for one night in publicly-owned accommodation being £23.25, and £144 in a hotel.