Britain has been branded a “soft touch” by giving illegal migrants “special treatment” and a number of taxpayer-funded perks if they choose to leave the UK voluntarily.
In a bid to ramp up the number of asylum seekers leaving voluntarily, the Home Office has struck a deal with ten countries to provide support packages for individuals being removed from Britain.
According to the Government contracts, migrants can receive help setting up businesses, food, travel assistance, and even receive accommodation for “up to five nights” in their home country.
Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Jamaica, Nigeria, Pakistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe are all understood to be included.
Onward travel within those nations is also covered by British taxpayers, alongside a provision of food packages.
Taxpayer cash can also be used to help migrants locate and reconnect families.
Condemning the contracts, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Sunday Express: “This shows that Labour’s UK is a soft touch.
“Instead of frog-marching illegal immigrants onto a plane, the Government is offering them special treatment.
Migrants can receive help setting up businesses, food, travel assistance, and even receive accommodation, according to the contracts
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“If being here illegally does not carry serious consequences, then more and more illegal immigrants will keep coming in.
“If we pull out of the ECHR, we will be able to rapidly and forcibly deport all illegal immigrants without needing to offer taxpayer-funded bribes to persuade them to leave voluntarily.”
Those agreeing to return are granted entry to a Returnee Education and Entrepreneurship fund designed to assist with establishing commercial ventures or pursuing further training and education.
Workshop sessions and mentorship schemes are provided to enhance the skills of those departing Britain, regardless of whether they are failed asylum claimants or foreign nationals convicted of criminal offences.
Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Jamaica, Nigeria, Pakistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe are all understood to be included in the Home Office deal
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IRARA, the organisation delivering the programme, advertises its provision of visa application assistance amongst its services.
This encompasses support for employment permits, family reunion visas, citizenship processes, educational visas and visitor authorisations, according to material published by the contractor.
An IRARA video directed at returned migrants says: “When you arrive home, you will be met by an IRARA representative, who is there to help you.
“Our team members can help you with any immediate support you need, this could include immediate accommodation, medical signposting or transport.
The number of small boat migrants crossing the Channel has passed 40,000 this year
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“Once you’ve been home for a short while, we will meet with you to discuss your current situation, your skills and your needs.
“Together, we will develop a tailored reintegration plan. IRARA can help you apply for a job, set up a business, access training or enrol in education.
“Once you’ve created a reintegration plan that you are happy with, IRARA applies for a grant on your behalf and once it is approved, we take care of all the payments to the suppliers and vendors so you can quickly and easily get started.”
Reform’s Lee Anderson told the publication the scheme was a “taxpayer-funded farce” and “an outrageous use of public cash”.
He added: “The signal we are sending to the world is catastrophic: commit the crime, and you’ll get the red-carpet treatment on your way out. This must end.”
A Home Office spokesman said: “These claims are untrue. This scheme ensures migrants return to their home country, settle and don’t re-enter the UK for a fraction of the price.
“Every asylum seeker that remains in the UK costs the taxpayer around £30,000 a year.
“The scheme helps to reduce costs for UK taxpayers while we intensify our enforcement action against those with no right to be here with almost 50,000 removed since the Government came into power.”
The Home Office says ‘every asylum seeker that remains in the UK costs the taxpayer around £30,000 a year’
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The report comes as Sir Keir Starmer’s “smash the gangs” policy suffered a major setback today, after GB News revealed the number of small boat migrants crossing the Channel has passed 40,000 this year.
The milestone figure was reached after some 700 Channel migrants made the illegal journey from France.
Saturday’s surge in crossings follows almost a month of no crossings – the longest sustained period of inactivity since 2018 – because of poor weather conditions.
In recent days, Labour politicians and supporters hailed the lack of any arrivals as an indication the Government’s “smash the gangs” policy was beginning to work.
However, maritime security sources told GB News the lack of any migrant arrivals over the past month was a “definite result of bad weather conditions”.
One source said: “It’s certainly been an unusually long spell without small boat activity.
“But the winds are at the root of this. Not only have they mainly been too strong for the migrant dinghies to make headway, they’ve also often being blowing in the wrong direction.
“It’s a mistake to conclude it’s the war on people smugglers that’s making the impact on crossings.
“Today is the perfect illustration of what we have been expecting for some time. The second the winds ease enough to allow crossings, the people smugglers are back out there in force.”