Rwanda asylum plan may cost over £600m, reveals watchdog

Eastern Eye01 Mar, 2024News

Under the policy first announced in 2022, asylum seekers who arrive on England’s southern coast in small, inflatable boats would be sent to Rwanda, but so far no one has been deported because of ongoing legal challenges. Ultimately, the government envisages sending thousands of people to the east African nation, although it is unclear what the capacity would be. On top of the £220m Britain has already paid Rwanda, the government has agreed to pay an extra £150m over the next three years, and £120m once the first 300 asylum seekers have been resettled, the National Audit Office (NAO) said on Friday.