The UK government’s ‘one in, one out’ scheme, designed to manage asylum seekers, is costing taxpayers approximately £56,000 for each individual returned to France. This figure has sparked scrutiny over the scheme’s effectiveness and value for money, especially as the Home Secretary defends it by comparing the cost to housing someone in a hotel for a year.
Since its launch in August 2025, around 1,400 people have been sent back to France, but the scheme has faced operational challenges, including limited detention space and the return of some individuals to the UK via alternative routes. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, highlighted that the current arrangement is not a long-term solution, as France seeks to transition the agreement into a broader EU-UK framework.
The scheme’s future remains uncertain, with French officials expressing a desire to end the bilateral arrangement. Mahmood’s comments suggest that the UK may struggle to scale up returns effectively, raising concerns about the sustainability of the current approach to managing asylum seekers.
As the pilot program approaches its expiration, the government must consider whether this costly scheme truly addresses the complexities of asylum management or if a more comprehensive solution is needed to tackle the ongoing challenges in the Channel crisis.
Source: The Guardian
