Jewellery and valuables belonging to refugees could be confiscated to pay for accommodation
Jewelery and valuables belonging to refugees could be seized to cover accommodation and other costs as part of sweeping reforms to the asylum system, a Home Office minister said.
Alex Norris said it was “true that if people have money in the bank, if they have assets, they should contribute” but insisted the government would not take “family heirlooms” from people coming to Britain.
Shabana Mahmood is set to rewrite how Britain grants asylum to those fleeing conflict and riots, with a statement in the House of Commons on Monday; He insisted that an overhaul was necessary because “the pace and scale of change is destabilizing communities”.
As part of these reforms, the home secretary is reportedly considering requiring some asylum seekers to contribute to support costs, emulating Denmark’s “jewelry law” that allows authorities to seize refugees’ valuables.
However, it appears that authorities will not confiscate valuables from people who arrive at the border.
Home Office sources also said the offers concerned people with large numbers of high-value items rather than sentimental items.
Alex Norris told Sky News: “The principle here at the moment is that the British people pay billions of pounds a year so that the accommodation and lives of those who seek asylum or are unsuccessful in their applications can be supported.”
“It is true that if people have money in the bank, if they have assets such as cars, e-bikes, they should contribute.
“No, we’re not going to take people’s heirlooms at the border. But if, for example, someone has £800 a month sent to them. He’s got himself an Audi. People have cars. People have e-bikes. These are assets, they should contribute that towards their living expenses.”
Asked if jewelery would be confiscated, he insisted people would not take wedding rings, but added: “However, if someone comes in with a bag full of gold rings, we say that is different than family heirlooms or personal items.”
Other reforms being pursued as part of a series of reforms include making refugee status temporary so that people can be returned to their home countries once it is safe to do so.
At the same time, safe and legal routes will be introduced to the UK as a way to reduce dangerous journeys by small boats across the English Channel.
But some of Labour’s already restive supporters expressed opposition to the proposals before Ms Mahmood’s announcement on Monday afternoon.
Labor MP Tony Vaughan warned that plans to review the situation of refugees every few years would “divert huge amounts of resources away from the functioning of our asylum system”.
Referring to Sir Keir Starmer’s speech at the Labor Party conference, he said: “The Prime Minister said in September that we were at a crossroads.
“These asylum proposals show that we are going down the wrong path.”
But another Labor supporter also said he backed the plans Independent If the asylum reforms are successful, Ms Mahmood is “likely to be the next leader of the Labor Party”.
They said the new home secretary “understands two of the three things that are required – diagnose the problem, communicate the anger, the politics and the solution”.
But they argued that the “missing third” solution had worked, adding: “Only time will tell. We now need to define the Conservatives as the party that caused the fire, the Reform Party that didn’t really want the fire to go out, and the left-wing protest parties that said there was no fire.”
They continued: “If all this comes together, he’s likely to be the next leader of the Labor Party… but… can the useless Home Office really pull it off?”
