The Government has paid migrants £53 million to voluntarily leave the country over the past four years, new data reveals.
The payments were made through the Government's voluntary return scheme, which offers migrants up to £3,000 as an incentive to return to their home countries.
The scheme also covers flight costs.
A total of 13,637 people accepted assisted returns between 2021 and 2024, with numbers rising sharply from 2,179 in 2022 to 6,799 in 2024, according to Home Office data obtained by The Independent.
The UK government has reportedly paid migrants £53 million to voluntarily leave the country over the past four years
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Government procurement data shows the Home Office paid Prepaid Payment Solutions Ltd £53,894,226 from 2021 to February 2025 to administer the voluntary assisted returns programme.
Under the scheme, failed asylum seekers, confirmed victims of modern slavery, rough sleepers and those with medical conditions can qualify if returning to a developing country.
The £3,000 is provided as a single payment on a card that can only be used in the recipient's home country.
Brazil accounted for more than half of voluntary returns in 2024, with 3,573 nationals accepting the offer.
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The scheme also covers flight costs
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India was second with 915 returns, followed by Honduras with 271.
Recipients face re-entry bans preventing them from returning to the UK for specified periods.
The ban length depends on their immigration history and the level of Home Office support received.
Similar programmes operate across the EU, with Italy offering €615 before departure plus €2,000 on arrival, with an additional €1,000 for family members.
Sir Keir Starmer faced criticism in March for claiming Labour had 'removed more than 24,000 people with no right to be here' without clarifying this included voluntary departures.
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The Home Office maintains that the voluntary return scheme represents "a much more cost-effective alternative for the taxpayer" compared to accommodation and support costs for those facing deportation.
Asylum Matters executive director Louise Calvey said: "When a supportive, dignified system is provably more cost-effective than the alternative, it becomes clear we need to have honest conversations about the amount of money we're prepared to waste on cruelty and hostility."
The charity advocates for independent bodies to provide tailored advice and support, noting that government funding for such services was cancelled in 2015.
Sir Keir Starmer faced criticism in March for claiming Labour had "removed more than 24,000 people with no right to be here" without clarifying this included voluntary departures.
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