Asylum: Costs
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National partnership agreement on meeting the health and wellbeing needs for people seeking asylum in England 2025-2028, published on 30 July 2026, what is the projected cost of delivering the ten priorities outlined.
Answered by Home Office
Asylum seekers have access to NHS healthcare from their point of arrival in the UK. They are entitled to the same level of treatment as UK nationals whilst their claim is being considered, and healthcare should always be prioritised by public health and clinical need only. This agreement does not expand healthcare provision. It sets out clear standards for joint working between the Home Office, the NHS and local partners, mirroring similar partnership agreements that exist across public services.
We do not hold a single, standalone cost for healthcare provision relating to the asylum seeking cohort. Healthcare is delivered across a range of settings and services within the NHS, and costs are not routinely separated from wider healthcare spending. Costs will therefore vary depending on the number of people in the asylum system and also depending on public health and clinical need.
The Home Secretary is restoring order and control to our asylum system by removing incentives drawing illegal migrants to the UK and ramping up removals of those with no right to be on British soil. We have removed or deported over 80,000 people who were here illegally and are going further to remove the incentives that draw illegal migrants to this country.
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