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£10.000 offered to leave the UK. Form an orderly queue.

(145 Posts)
Sarnia Thu 05-Mar-26 15:17:29

Shabana Mahmood has announced plans to pay £10,000 per person with a maximum of £40,000 for families of 4 or more as an incentive to leave the UK. These people are failed asylum seekers and have no right to be here so AIBU in thinking this money would be far better spent elsewhere? Surely having no right to stay means they should be deported and incentives shouldn't come into it.

Casdon Thu 05-Mar-26 17:33:57

That’s why I want to see the small print. It would not be possible for that to happen if they are DNA profiled?

MT62 Thu 05-Mar-26 17:34:38

glammagran

Can you imagine giving them 10,000 to leave and then 3 months later them reappearing for another handout.

Under another identity 😩
Most absolutely stupid idea yet.
Yet we have patients being treated on hospital corridors for days on end.

MT62 Thu 05-Mar-26 17:37:28

They won’t DNA them because it will be against their human rights!

pably15 Thu 05-Mar-26 17:46:10

people can't see an NHS dentist here because dentists are not being paid enough, so they only take private patients now. but there's money to spend ...or give away to illegal immigrants.
This countries government does not take care of it's own..

Casdon Thu 05-Mar-26 17:51:25

MT62

They won’t DNA them because it will be against their human rights!

Have you read the small print MT62? I don’t get on board with condemning things until I know the facts, why do so many do that - or maybe you have read them, and can give us the detail?

petra Thu 05-Mar-26 17:53:27

Lathyrus3

MaizieD

It's on the BBC website. It was there this morning

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0j559146e6o

Thanks.

I don’t understand the offering money to failed asylum seekers either.

Can anybody explain why they shouldn’t just be repatriated?

A big problem is that their home countries don’t always want them back.
Another one is: as most destroy passports etc it’s a problem finding out where they have come from.
Then there’s the problem of the home office dealing with countries whose internet connections are poor.

Graphite Thu 05-Mar-26 17:59:53

MT62

glammagran

Can you imagine giving them 10,000 to leave and then 3 months later them reappearing for another handout.

Under another identity 😩
Most absolutely stupid idea yet.
Yet we have patients being treated on hospital corridors for days on end.

You do know that biometric information (fingerprints and facial photographs) is taken from asylum seekers upon arrival or early in the application process.

This information is used to support the removal or deportation process if their claim is refused.

Tuliptree Thu 05-Mar-26 18:05:25

Graphite

Not quite that simple and only a pilot scheme for 150 families. They have seven days to decide.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/05/shabana-mahmood-accused-of-mimicking-trump-as-she-announces-immigration-plans

Oh goodness don’t let facts get in the way of a good rant. Meanie 😂

MT62 Thu 05-Mar-26 18:09:49

I don’t have a license to watch the BBC Casdon I’ll just rely on you to put me right 🙄

midgey Thu 05-Mar-26 18:10:42

I don’t think this is a new scheme, I’m sure it is recycled. Tories definitely tried it I think when they sent a lorry around telling people to go home.

MT62 Thu 05-Mar-26 18:18:34

You do know Graphite, that some abscond into the distance. They don’t all rock up to boarder control.

Graphite Thu 05-Mar-26 18:45:48

MT62

You do know Graphite, that some abscond into the distance. They don’t all rock up to boarder control.

In that case, how would they have been through the asylum system and be offered money to leave? If you are going to discuss the issue at least do it logically.

Tuliptree Thu 05-Mar-26 18:49:44

Graphite

MT62
You do know Graphite, that some abscond into the distance. They don’t all rock up to boarder control.
In that case, how would they have been through the asylum system and be offered money to leave? If you are going to discuss the issue at least do it logically.

Oh come on, you really are a grade 1 spoilsport. 😂 Facts, logic, rational thought <sigh>

Lathyrus3 Thu 05-Mar-26 18:55:01

petra

Lathyrus3

MaizieD

It's on the BBC website. It was there this morning

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0j559146e6o

Thanks.

I don’t understand the offering money to failed asylum seekers either.

Can anybody explain why they shouldn’t just be repatriated?

A big problem is that their home countries don’t always want them back.
Another one is: as most destroy passports etc it’s a problem finding out where they have come from.
Then there’s the problem of the home office dealing with countries whose internet connections are poor.

I have often wondered how sending people back works in practice, because all the receiving country has to do is to refuse to allow the plane to land or the boat to dock.

It had never occurred to me that unauthorised immigrants just don’t say where they have come from so can’t be sent back. They could claim asylum though could they because they would need to identify an unsafe country.

So they say they are from X but because they don’t have a passport or identification X won’t take them?

I do not know if the money incentive will work for individuals. Perhas it should be offered to their home country instead? As an incentive to repatriate.

And how does a government get past the resentment factor f British citizens to whom £10,000 would be like a gift from the gods.

No easy answer is there? But I’m not convinced that this ‘quick fix” of a reward for illegal entry won’t just make things worse.

valdavi Thu 05-Mar-26 19:00:48

It's annoying but it's a cost / benefit analysis I guess.

If the government moves to forcibly removing them, they have a right to appeal the decision and the government need to pay for them to be detained until that process is completed. Legal fees and accommodation will cost more then the £10k, so if they go voluntarily it's quicker and cheaper.

A controversial policy for many reasons, but with the asylum claim processing back-log, maybe it's a case of desperate times require desperate measures.

sharon103 Thu 05-Mar-26 19:10:44

I daren't type what I think.
I'll get banned.

Graphite Thu 05-Mar-26 19:14:16

People criticise how much it costs to accommodate asylum seekers whether it’s in hotels, old military bases etc and all the ancillary costs of ongoing support including any benefit payments if families remain.

In fact, a lot of the first-year costs for supporting refugees and asylum seekers come out of the ODA budget anyway; money that used to be send as foreign aid is now used in the UK - over a quarter of the budget.

£10,000 is probably far less than it costs to support families ongoing. It probably costs much more to enforce deportations.

I believe up until now, the UK had offered up to £3,000 for voluntary returns,. It was previously revealed that £53m had been paid to migrants to leave the country over the past four years. (Source Independent Nov 2025).

This is only a pilot scheme said to involve 150 families. I’ll wait to see what's in the fine detail of the scheme rather than rely on the inevitable screaming tabloid headlines.

Casdon Thu 05-Mar-26 19:19:06

Can I suggest people read this.
news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-mandelson-starmer-labour-farage-badenoch-12593360#11204744

petra Thu 05-Mar-26 19:31:12

Lathyrus3

petra

Lathyrus3

MaizieD

It's on the BBC website. It was there this morning

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0j559146e6o

Thanks.

I don’t understand the offering money to failed asylum seekers either.

Can anybody explain why they shouldn’t just be repatriated?

A big problem is that their home countries don’t always want them back.
Another one is: as most destroy passports etc it’s a problem finding out where they have come from.
Then there’s the problem of the home office dealing with countries whose internet connections are poor.

I have often wondered how sending people back works in practice, because all the receiving country has to do is to refuse to allow the plane to land or the boat to dock.

It had never occurred to me that unauthorised immigrants just don’t say where they have come from so can’t be sent back. They could claim asylum though could they because they would need to identify an unsafe country.

So they say they are from X but because they don’t have a passport or identification X won’t take them?

I do not know if the money incentive will work for individuals. Perhas it should be offered to their home country instead? As an incentive to repatriate.

And how does a government get past the resentment factor f British citizens to whom £10,000 would be like a gift from the gods.

No easy answer is there? But I’m not convinced that this ‘quick fix” of a reward for illegal entry won’t just make things worse.

You’re right, there is no easy answer.
When you realise there are 15-18 counties inand around the Middle East all speaking Arabic.
Let’s suppose you have arrived in Spain from Morocco ( thousands have) then cross the Chanel.
You speak Arabic, your Moroccan. But you could say that you’ve come from several war hotspots in the Middle East.
.

Casdon Thu 05-Mar-26 19:54:13

I do like the sound of crossing the Chanel, I’d be off to Paris tomorrow, my £10k might buy me a couple of new outfits.

Millie22 Thu 05-Mar-26 20:08:31

This has to be an April Fool but a month early.

I'm still waiting for my government pension. So many people unable to afford to see a dentist as they have all become private. Our countryside being ruined by excessive housing. I could go on but my phone is running out of charge.

VANECAM Thu 05-Mar-26 20:14:09

I’m looking forward to this being discussed on Fiona Bruce’s Question Time tonight.

Allira Thu 05-Mar-26 20:15:53

Casdon

I do like the sound of crossing the Chanel, I’d be off to Paris tomorrow, my £10k might buy me a couple of new outfits.

Paris Fashion Week!!
👗🧥👠

Graphite Thu 05-Mar-26 20:23:39

Casdon

Can I suggest people read this.
news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-mandelson-starmer-labour-farage-badenoch-12593360#11204744

Indeed. So for people who don't follow links:

The government has also dismissed suggestions paying people to leave encourage people to travel to the UK illegally.

The cost of paying a small boat smuggler to take somebody across the Channel is between £15,000 and £35,000.

A source said: "As a result, the pilot to pay them to leave cannot act as a pull factor because it costs more to get here in the first place. If they do not take this offer, the family will be forcibly removed."

It's also understood that the costs of an enforced return for a single person is around £48,000, once detention, escorting, casework, logistics and flight costs are included.

That sum doesn't cover the cost of an appeal.

Casdon Thu 05-Mar-26 20:26:59

Allira

Casdon

I do like the sound of crossing the Chanel, I’d be off to Paris tomorrow, my £10k might buy me a couple of new outfits.

Paris Fashion Week!!
👗🧥👠

I hope they pay up quick, I hadn’t realised it was this week! 🥂