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

and if they can afford to pay the gangs thousands to come over in a dingy, why don't they come in the legal way...easier to throw the passport into the sea by dingy.

pably15

There's not many countries where you'd be allowed in without a passport....but I know one

Asylum seekers can claim asylum in any country without a passport. Did you really believe Britain was the only one? Also, it is perfectly legal to claim asylum even if you have arrived in a country by ‘irregular means’ ( like a small boat).
Should you manage to arrive in Britain without a passport, you will be asked if you are claiming asylum, and, if not, you will probably be returned immediately to where you came from. If you are, your case will be passed to the Home Office.

There's not many countries where you'd be allowed in without a passport....but I know one

I assume this money is offered to those immigrants who are failed asylum seekers to encourage them to agree to be deported?
What happens if they decline to take the money, will they be forcibly deported or allowed to stay anyway?

And now that there is a war in the Middle East, that is showing no signs of abating, guess what's going to happen.

£6 million is peanuts in terms of government spending. There are around 55 million adults in the UK, all paying tax in one way or another even if it’s only through VAT, tax on fuel and energy, tobacco and alcohol duty etc. It equates to 11p each a year per adult taxpayer.

As a comparison, my county council spends £2.5 million PER DAY on adult social care. Averaged out over the number of adults in care that’s £55,000 a year each.

I am not judging who should get support and who shouldn't, merely using the numbers for comparison.

Factor in the cost of appeals against deportation, the cost of deportation itself, the cost of maintaining migrants in accommodation, health care, child care and education etc, then £40,000 to encourage a family to return to a safe country is far, far cheaper in the long run.

And it is just a pilot scheme. Governments try them from time to time. Some work and some don’t work.

In 2011, the coalition government tried to tackle the perennial problem of trying to encourage people to claim Pension Credit. It identified people who appeared to be entitled to some PC, calculated what they could claim, physically put the money in their bank accounts and invited them to fill in the necessary paperwork to formalise the claim. Most didn’t bother.

You need to know where to return them surely?

Precisely.

So just chuck your passport away. No idea where you’re from then, of course.

Someone asked where the £6 million or whatever it will cost for the pilot scheme cones from.

The good old taxpayer, of course, one of which is me!

Allira

If an illegal immigrant has been found to be working hard in a legal business (and it does happen) and is keeping themselves, should they be given temporary leave to remain or should they be deported?

Deported!

A pilot scheme limited to 150 families with a maximum of £40,000 per family is £6,000,000. Where does that £6 million come from is one of my questions. The other is what's the point of even having an asylum system if we don't distinguish between the outcomes of successful and unsuccessful application? I had assumed, wrongly it seems, that unsuccessful applicants would be returned (albeit at UK expense) but if the scheme is to 'encourage' unsuccessful applicants to return then its obvious that I've got this wrong. I fully agree with legal immigration both for humanitarian and planned economic reasons but equally I believe that if applications are rejected then that should be the end of the matter and due process followed.

Pippa22

I think it an utter disgrace and a kick in the teeth to every hardworking person in this country.
A failed asylum seeker who shouldn’t be here in the first place, gets accommodation, health care, pocket money clothes and goodness knows what else whilst here. They then appeal over and over again at huge cost to us I expect then is paid to leave. If they are illegal they should just be deported.

I feel so angry about this I could cry !

A Labour minister explained on Thursday that its
a really good deal as much cheaper than the £160,000 it costs us to keep each asylum seeker EACH YEAR !!

So, may I ask, what would you do with the occupants of one of the cross channel dinghies? It’s easy to say they shouldn’t be here in the first place, but, practically, what would you do? You need to know where to return them to, surely?
It seems to me that people are believing the ‘information’ we are being fed, and think these people are living in hotels just as any guest would, nice menus, daily housekeeping etc,all manner of luxuries, then are offered £40,000, no questions asked, to go home after their pleasant wee holiday.
To me, the sad thing is that so many people are willing to continue to spread this ‘information’ without ever bothering to check if it’s true or not.

Casdon

At best they will still have deceived their employer then Allira, who will end up with a fine, so they should be treated accordingly I think.

I think many employers know full well or suspect that those they employ may be illegal immigrants and they can then get away with paying lower wages and no NI.
Some may be employed through agencies, of course and some companies have been fined.

At best they will still have deceived their employer then Allira, who will end up with a fine, so they should be treated accordingly I think.

They will be coming in droves now to try and get 40k. Maybe she’ll pay me 40k to leave the country they have turned into a shithole.

If an illegal immigrant has been found to be working hard in a legal business (and it does happen) and is keeping themselves, should they be given temporary leave to remain or should they be deported?

I know. The only way to find people is through increased enforcement staff on the ground I think, and moving people who are caught working illegally into immediate detention. It will work provided there is enough investment, but it’s not a quick fix - I don’t think there is one in reality.

It's the top of the iceberg - the tiny part which is more visible. The majority is submerged and invisible.

As I've mentioned previously, in some cases the way in which the Government was going about this was not by tackling illegal immigrants but by stopping people coming on valid short visits by legal routes, thereby not being able to visit family or holidaying here.
They wanted to be seen to be doing something but targeted the wrong people.

Allira

The changes are good but only for those whom apply.

What about the nearly one million illegal immigrants, many of whom are involved in OCG? They are not going to apply as they live under the radar (apparently).

Here is the AI search result on that Allira.

Immigration enforcement in the UK is increasing significantly, with illegal working raids rising by 77% and arrests by 83% between July 2024 and December 2025. Over 17,400 raids occurred, targeting sectors like construction and hospitality to curb the "black economy". This surge is aimed at restoring border control.

Key details on the increased enforcement:
Record Highs: The number of raids and arrests is at the highest point in British history.
Targeted Sectors: Raids primarily focus on businesses such as nail bars, car washes, restaurants, and construction sites.
Regional Impact: Major arrests have occurred across the UK, with high volumes in London, the West Midlands, and Scotland.
Future Measures: The government is introducing mandatory digital ID checks to verify legal working status.
Goal: The focus is on reducing incentives for illegal migration and increasing the removal of those without legal status.

Who apply.

Oh dear, I think I would pass the English exam. 🤔

The changes are good but only for those whom apply.

What about the nearly one million illegal immigrants, many of whom are involved in OCG? They are not going to apply as they live under the radar (apparently).

Not dissimilar to many of the changes made and proposed fir the UK recently then petra. I think virtually the whole of Europe is doing similar. Here are ours as it stands now:

Key Requirements and New Rules (2025-2026)
Continuous Residence: You must have lived in the UK, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man for at least 5 years.
Absence Rules: Generally, you cannot have been absent for more than 6 months in any 12-month period.
New "30/60" Rule: For those with pre-settled status who broke continuity, you may now qualify if you have been resident in the UK for at least 30 months in the most recent 60-month period.
Automatic Conversion: The Home Office is automatically switching eligible pre-settled status holders to settled status, so you may not need to apply.
Proposed Tougher Rules: New requirements may include B2 level English, a clean criminal record, and 3 years of national insurance contributions (earning £12750)

Required Documentation
Proof of Identity: A valid passport, national identity card, or biometric residence card.
Evidence of Residence: Documents covering your 5-year stay, such as council tax bills, school/university letters, or bank statements.
National Insurance Number: To verify your employment and residence history.

Note: The standard waiting period for settlement is increasing to 10 years for some, but 5 years still applies to many EUSS and family routes.
Migration Observatory

That once very liberal country, Finland, now has a conservative government.
In January 2026 they changed their settled status requirement drastically.
To receive the above you must speak the language ( over 65s and children are exempt) and prove that you have integrated into the Finnish culture.
www.google.com/search?q=Finland+to+change+its+immigration+program&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:a6a870d1,vid:Ab5mRJpsbYA,st:0

Message withdrawn as it quotes a deleted post.

Pippa22

I think it an utter disgrace and a kick in the teeth to every hardworking person in this country.
A failed asylum seeker who shouldn’t be here in the first place, gets accommodation, health care, pocket money clothes and goodness knows what else whilst here. They then appeal over and over again at huge cost to us I expect then is paid to leave. If they are illegal they should just be deported.

I feel so angry about this I could cry !

A Labour minister explained on Thursday that its
a really good deal as much cheaper than the £160,000 it costs us to keep each asylum seeker EACH YEAR !!

Absolutely agree with you 👏👏👏👏👏

Totally agree!

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