Small boats bill ‘will force hundreds of thousands into immigration limbo’, charity claims

Up to 260,000 people could have their asylum claims rejected in first three years of small boats bill, Refugee Council says

Suella Braverman’s immigration plan will leave hundreds of thousands of failed asylum seekers living in limbo at a huge cost to the taxpayer because they can’t be deported, new analysis has claimed.

In the first three years of legislation coming into effect, up to 260,000 people, including 40,000 children, will have their asylum claims rejected, the charity Refugee Council has estimated in a wide-ranging analysis of the government’s Illegal Migration bill.

Up to 193,000 of these people will not have been removed by the third year, and will be denied the right to work in the UK, the report from Refugee Council claims. They will be reliant on Home Office support and accommodation indefinitely - creating an £8.7-9.6bn cost to the taxpayer, the charity estimates.