Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced that asylum seekers who find employment in the United Kingdom will be required to pay up to £10,000 toward the cost of their accommodation and support under a new government initiative.
The proposals are scheduled for introduction to Parliament on Tuesday (30 June 2026) as part of the Immigration and Asylum Bill.
Under the proposed scheme, individuals must clear a debt before becoming eligible for settled status or Indefinite Leave to Remain.
The payment system is expected to function similarly to student loans. Deductions are anticipated to be taken once earners start earning above a certain threshold.
Those who leave the UK will be made to pay in full if they wish to return at a future date, according to reports on the initiative.
In comments regarding the policy, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that the cost of asylum accommodation on taxpayers is too high. She argued that migrants who can contribute should be expected to do so.