The UK government spends over £3,000 a day on new clothes and shoes for migrants who cross the Channel illegally. When they arrive in Dover, they are given free clothing, including warm coats, hats, and gloves in winter, and flip-flops in summer. Over the last three years, this has cost nearly £4 million.
The Home Office stores thousands of clothing items in a large warehouse, which some officials compare to a retail store like Matalan or M&S. Migrants can try on clothes in changing rooms before receiving a full set of new clothing. The government says this is necessary because many migrants arrive with clothes soaked in seawater or fuel, making them unsafe to wear.
Some migrants are also given mobile phones to help them stay in contact with immigration officials. The Home Office says this only happens in rare cases, and they do not have records of how much it costs.
The total cost of providing new clothes for migrants has changed over the years. In 2022, the government spent just over £2 million when record numbers of migrants—45,755 people—crossed the Channel. In 2023, when crossings dropped to 29,437 people, the cost also fell to £959,000. In the first ten months of 2024, the clothing cost was £726,000. The total spending from 2022 to early 2024 reached £3.7 million, which works out to about £35 per migrant.
When migrants arrive, they first hand back their life jackets and then point to a board to indicate their age and nationality. They go through a health check before being taken to the clothing store, where they get a full set of new clothes. After this, they are moved to the Manston reception centre in Kent.
The clothing pack they receive includes underwear, socks, a T-shirt, trousers or jogging bottoms, a sweatshirt, and shoes such as flip-flops, plimsolls, or trainers. If it is cold, they also get a coat, hat, and gloves. Babies receive nappies if needed. The Home Office did not provide details on the brands of clothing given to migrants.
Some people believe the government should stop paying for new clothes and instead ask charities to provide second-hand clothing. Richard Tice from Reform UK said taxpayers should not be responsible for buying new clothes for migrants. He suggested that charities supporting migrants should provide clothing from donations.
Other critics say that migrants who are allowed to stay in the UK should be required to pay back the cost of their clothing once they start working. Former Border Force director Tony Smith compared this idea to student loans, saying that if migrants are allowed to stay and work, they should help cover the costs of their support, just as students have to take out loans for their education.
The government is working on new laws to strengthen border security and stop people-smuggling gangs. Under the new rules, suspected smugglers could be banned from using mobile phones and social media, even if there is not enough evidence to take them to court. Authorities will also be able to search people at ports, seize their phones, and copy data if they suspect they are involved in smuggling.
Ministers say stopping illegal migration will help reduce the costs of supporting asylum seekers. Right now, around 35,000 migrants are staying in hotels, which costs taxpayers over £4 million a day. Critics argue that this, along with the cost of clothing and other expenses, makes it more urgent for the government to take tougher action on illegal immigration.
