The Immigration and Asylum Bill, introduced to Parliament on 30 June 2026, would let the Home Office recover a flat-rate contribution from adults who have received asylum support and have sufficient funds.
The government announced on 30 June 2026 that the Immigration and Asylum Bill, introduced to Parliament that day, sets out new powers for the Home Office to recover costs from adults who have received asylum support, such as subsistence or accommodation, provided they have access to sufficient funds. The Bill has been introduced, not passed, so these are proposals.
The payment will be a flat-rate charge. Eligible adults would pay an amount each month above a set threshold. The primary payment mechanism is expected to be direct payments to the Home Office, with options also being explored to use the tax and benefits systems.
The announcement says migrants would be required to pay off the full amount before they are eligible for settlement. Anyone who leaves the UK would still be required to make their payments if they wish to return at a future date. Migrants are expected to have to pay a total of around £10,000, described as a contribution to the overall cost of their asylum support.
The Home Secretary would have the power to adjust the charge and the thresholds. The government says this is so both are fair to the taxpayer and do not force any migrant into destitution.
The Home Office gives these cost estimates: £23.25 per person per night in dispersal accommodation, £144 per person per night in hotels, and subsistence payments of £9.95 to £49.18 per person per week. It puts annual costs across accommodation and support at £4 billion last year, and says 31 asylum hotels have closed since April.
On employment, the announcement says a quarter of 16 to 64-year-olds granted asylum between 2015 and 2023 were in work in the same calendar year they were granted status, rising to nearly 50% two years after. Of those in work eight years after the grant, 37% were in full-time work with median earnings of £23,000.
What this means for applicants
Nothing changes yet. The charge depends on the Bill passing, and the source gives no start date, threshold or monthly amount. If it becomes law as described, adults who have received asylum support and have sufficient funds would be asked to repay a contribution, and the full amount would have to be paid before they are eligible for settlement.
Sources
- Asylum seekers will pay towards costs of accommodation, GOV.UK, 30 June 2026