People granted asylum in Britain could have to repay the government about $13,000 for accommodation and basic living support before they can become eligible to apply for settlement, officials announced on Monday.

Proposed Rules

Under the proposed rules, the government says repayments would be means-tested and limited to adults above an income threshold. Officials say safeguards would be included to prevent people from being pushed into extreme poverty, though key details of the threshold and enforcement mechanism have not yet been published.

The rules would not be applied retrospectively and children would not be subject to the payments. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood explained that her latest reforms aim to reduce the burden on taxpayers’ wallets.

The Home Office also said it aims to remove 45,000 more people with no legal right to remain and foreign criminals within the next decade, in addition to the tens of thousands already being removed on a yearly basis.

Reaction

Refugee advocates and migration researchers have criticized the proposal, arguing it could punish people who fled persecution and questioning whether many refugees would earn enough to repay the proposed sum.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.