UK May Seize Asylum Seekers’ Assets to Offset Costs

By Staff, Agencies

Asylum seekers arriving in the UK could have certain valuables confiscated to help cover the cost of their benefits, a Home Office minister said, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government prepares a major overhaul of immigration policy.

Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris told British media that high-value assets — including vehicles — could be taken to offset state expenses.

“If those people have money in the bank, assets like cars or e-bikes, they should be contributing,” he said.

The Sun earlier reported that jewelry and watches may also be seized and sold to reduce housing costs.

Norris stressed that authorities would not confiscate sentimental or family heirlooms, though he noted that arriving with “a bag full of gold rings” would be treated differently. He urged the public to wait for Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s formal statement to Parliament.

The proposal echoes Denmark’s strict asylum model, which allows authorities to seize assets above a certain threshold to fund support services and deter irregular arrivals.

Switzerland has similar rules, permitting the confiscation of cash or valuables above roughly €900 to contribute to an asylum seeker’s upkeep.

Mahmood’s broader immigration reforms aim to speed up asylum decisions, expand detention capacity and reduce state spending on irregular migration.

The UK continues to face mounting pressure over arrivals, with around 111,000 asylum applications filed in the first half of the year — nearly double the number recorded in 2021, according to Home Office data.