The Real Cost of Asylum
Behind the headlines, the scaremongering and the misinformation — here are the facts that the right-wing press doesn't want you to see.
That's your weekly share of the entire UK asylum system.
Less than a packet of crisps.
Your £2.02 per week pays for...
Compare what the asylum system costs you to everyday purchases
What Do British Courts Say?
When UK judges examine asylum claims they uphold the vast majority — proving most are genuine refugees
Where Does the Money Actually Go?
Not to asylum seekers — to private contractors and a broken system
Cost Per Taxpayer
The entire UK asylum system costs each taxpayer just £2.02 per week — less than a packet of crisps.
Home Office Annual Report 2024-25 / Full FactBased on £4 billion total asylum support costs divided by 39 million UK taxpayers.
Home Office Annual Report 2024-25Asylum Seeker Support
Asylum seekers receive just £49.18 per week — barely half the £92.34 Universal Credit available to UK citizens.
Full Fact / Home OfficeContractor Profits
Clearsprings, Serco and Mears have made £383 million in combined profits from asylum accommodation contracts since 2019.
NAO / Left Foot ForwardPrivate contractors made £146 in pure profit every minute for five years from taxpayer-funded asylum accommodation.
RAMFEL Report 2025Serco recorded £274 million in profit in 2024, with £146 million in just the first half of 2025 — on track for a new record.
Serco Annual Accounts 2024Clearsprings Ready Homes contract value increased tenfold since 2019. Its director has been labelled the "asylum king" on rich-list estimates.
Home Affairs Committee Report 2025Total System Cost
Total Home Office spending on asylum support, accommodation and resettlement in 2024-25.
Home Office Annual Report 2024-25Hotels cost £1.3 billion in one year — 76% of all accommodation costs — yet housed only 35% of asylum seekers.
NAO Report May 2025The expected cost of asylum accommodation contracts tripled from the original estimate, described by MPs as a failed, chaotic and expensive system.
Home Affairs Committee / NAOCost Per Claim
Each individual asylum claim costs the taxpayer £18,700 to process, based on Home Office figures published July 2026.
Home Office Immigration and Asylum Bill Impact AssessmentWho Is Getting Rich?
The private companies profiting from the asylum system
Clearsprings Ready Homes
Director labelled "asylum king" on rich-list. £119 million pre-tax profit — 60% increase. Largest profiteer from asylum accommodation. Operates with no transparency about ownership structure.
Serco
Recorded £146 million profit in first half of 2025 alone — on track to beat 2024 record. Manages dispersed accommodation across multiple regions.
Mears Group
Posted 5% increase in half-year results 2025 — £32 million. On course to beat 2024 record. Agreed to return £13.8 million pending Home Office audit.
The System Is Broken — But Not in the Way You've Been Told
The money isn't going to asylum seekers. It's going to private contractors making record profits while people wait in inadequate accommodation for years.