Now over 100,000 asylum seekers getting taxpayers’ cash

THE number of asylum seekers receiving taxpayer-funded support has topped 100,000 for the first time.

Home Office data showed 100,547 were getting Government aid at the end of September, up from less than 69,000 a year earlier.

Most receive free accommodation and a subsistence allowance of £40.85 a week for each person in their household, unless they get meals provided by the taxpayer.

Figures also showed the number of new asylum applications rose to 72,027, covering 85,902 people when dependants such as children and spouses are included.

The total, driven by small boat arrivals from northern France, was nearly double the previous year’s total and the highest since 2003. Meanwhile, the Home Office’s asylum backlog has soared by more than 21,000 in three months to 148,533. Of those, 143,377 cases were awaiting an initial decision, and more than 5,000 were ‘pending review’. Three years earlier the overall total stood at just 48,000.

Earlier this week MPs accused Home Office staff of ‘rank incompetence’ after it emerged each caseworker resolves just one asylum application a week. The Home Office wants to increase their productivity – but only to three cases a week by May next year – and will start paying the civil servants bonuses of up to £2,500 to stop them quitting. Yesterday’s

new figures showed 77 per cent of asylum applications decided by the Home Office lead to refugee status or another type of humanitarian protection being granted.

Among some nationalities, including Afghans, Syrians and Eritreans, the grant rate is 98 per cent. But for Albanian men – such as those crossing the Channel in small boats – the grant rate is just 10 per cent.

Across all Albanians, including women and children, the figure is higher, with just over half granted asylum or other types of protec

tion. It is understood 87 per cent of Channel migrants are male. The majority of arrivals go on to claim asylum.

It emerged this week that 40,000 asylum seekers – most of whom arrived across the Channel – are being housed in taxpayer-funded hotels. There are also more than 9,000 Afghans still in hotels more than 15 months after they were evacuated from their country as the Taliban seized control.

The figures came on the first anniversary of the tragedy in the Channel which saw 27 men, women and children drown as their dinghy capsized.

Law Society deputy vice president Richard Atkinson said: ‘Far too many people are waiting far too long for a decision on their request for sanctuary in the UK.

‘There is no doubt the Home Office is under pressure, and it must be properly resourced to ensure lawful, timely decision-making.’