Eye-watering sum migrant hotel bill will hit if Government doesn’t stop boats crossing the Channel
THE cost of housing migrants in hotels could top £5billion a year if the boats are not stopped, a think-tank has warned.
Experts believe the backlog could become permanent with thousands of people needing long-term accommodation and support.
More than 130,000 await processing with small boat arrivals this year now exceeding 18,000 — after several vessels arrived yesterday in thick fog, including at Dungeness, Kent.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) warned the crisis will worsen by the next General Election, which must be held by January 2025.
The policy of flying asylum-seekers to Rwanda for processing is on hold awaiting a court ruling on whether it is legal.
Marley Morris, of the IPPR, said that “under most plausible scenarios, arrivals will still outpace removals” even if the policy is approved and the Illegal Migration Act fully implemented.
He added: “This will mean a growing population of people permanently in limbo, putting huge pressure on Home Office accommodation and support systems.
“Any incoming government would likely face a dire and increasingly costly challenge.”
PM Rishi Sunak said small boat crossings were still down on last year. But he added: “We’ve got to put a stop to that.
“It’s not an easy problem to fix. I never said we would be able to solve it overnight.
“I am determined to grip this problem, and that’s why one of my five priorities is to stop the boats.”