Small boat migrants ‘could cost taxpayers £67bn’ warns watchdog | Politics | News
As the Canal crossings continue rapidly, with more than 40,000 immigrants passing through this year alone, clear figures are emerging. Almost all of them claim asylum on arrival in the UK.
More than 110,000 people sought asylum in Britain in 2024, and Migration Watch said this was putting increasing pressure on local authorities and public services.
The group also highlighted low export rates, noting that only 3 per cent of small boat migrants were repatriated, but fewer than 200 were sent back to France under the Government’s controversial “one in, one out” arrangement.
Migration Watch said the cost of arrivals on small boats was on top of other major migration-related expenses identified by the MAC.
The committee also estimates that foreign partner visas issued in a single year, such as 2022-23, will cost taxpayers a net £5.6 billion over the immigrants’ lifetimes.
Migration Watch President Alp Mehmet said: “For years, Migration Watch has repeatedly warned that migration is a huge cost to taxpayers. Ultimately, it makes us all poorer. It’s time for our politicians to come to their senses.”
The Advisory Committee on Migration has previously warned that asylum and refugee routes have a “decidedly negative” impact on lifetime financial impact.
In its latest report, the MAC said this was due to low employment rates, low wages and high levels of economic inactivity, as well as the costs of access to public services and long-term wellbeing.
Research cited by the committee suggests that asylum seekers in similar countries incur net lifetime financial costs of up to hundreds of thousands of pounds per person.
The MAC also highlighted the additional costs of housing asylum seekers in private accommodation, further increasing the burden on the public budget.
Immigration Watch’s warning comes as concerns grow about the sustainability of Britain’s asylum system and the long-term impact of high immigration levels on public finances.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs was contacted for opinion.
