CALGARY — The UK government has introduced legislation that would require many refugees granted asylum to repay up to £10,000 for the cost of their accommodation before becoming eligible for permanent settlement in the United Kingdom.The proposal forms part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's latest immigration overhaul — described by the government as a "final call" to restore control over Britain's asylum system — and is included in the new Immigration and Asylum Bill introduced to Parliament this week. The package is aimed at reducing the cost of the asylum system, tightening immigration rules and making permanent settlement more difficult to obtain.Under the bill, adults who receive refugee status could be required to repay approximately £10,000 to cover a portion of the public funds spent supporting them while their asylum claims were processed. The repayment requirement would apply only after refugees begin earning above a government-set income threshold, which has not yet been announce.According to the Home Office, around £4bn of taxpayers' money was spent on supporting asylum seekers last year.The average cost of housing an asylum seeker for one night in rented accommodation is £23.25, and £144 in a hotel, while subsistence payments range from £9.95 to £49.18 for each person per week.With this bill, refugee protection would become temporary rather than leading directly toward permanent settlement. Refugees would generally have their status reviewed every 30 months, with continued protection depending on whether conditions in their home country remain unsafe.It would also introduce additional measures intended to accelerate the removal of failed asylum seekers, tighten rules surrounding human rights and modern slavery claims, and expand the government's ability to recover costs from asylum seekers who possess significant financial assets..The legislation follows mounting political pressure over record spending on asylum accommodation, persistent small-boat crossings across the English Channel and accumulation of asylum claims. Ministers say the bill is intended to reduce costs, strengthen border enforcement and make refugee protection more temporary and conditional rather than an automatic pathway to permanent settlement.The Immigration and Asylum Bill has been introduced in Parliament but has not yet become law. Members of Parliament will debate the legislation, and the proposals could be amended before receiving final approval.
