Albanian families whose asylum applications in the UK have been rejected could be offered more than £3,000 if they agree to voluntarily leave the country. The initiative is linked to the repatriation agreement signed in 2022 between Prime Minister Edi Rama and former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
British Deputy Minister for Border Security, Alex Norris, told British media that the payment of more than 3,000 pounds would be “a good investment for taxpayers,” adding that the authorities would no longer bear the cost of housing families who remain in the country after their asylum applications were rejected. Norris said the exact amount could be even higher, but did not give details.
"At the moment we can pay around £3,000 and I make no apologies for that. Children of asylum seekers who have failed their claims will be removed from Britain, even if they were born here," the minister said, confirming that cases would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis under immigration laws.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Norris explained that children born in Britain will also be included in the process if their parents have been refused asylum and refuse to leave on their own.
British taxpayers continue to pay for the accommodation costs of Albanian families who have received negative asylum applications, while still refusing to return to Albania.
The news was first confirmed by Labour Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who announced new immigration reforms and plans to deport around 700 Albanian families in parliament. She is also considering increasing the amount given to families who accept voluntary return.
