Councils in the UK have spent millions of pounds on extra services for asylum seekers, including PlayStations, DJ lessons, yoga classes, and tickets to football matches. This spending has come from government funding meant to support new arrivals, but many people are questioning whether it is the best use of taxpayer money, especially as local councils struggle with financial difficulties.
Since 2022, local councils have spent around £141 million on these additional services. Some councils have used the money to provide driving lessons, laptops, mobile phones, and even circus skills training for asylum seekers. For example, West Sussex Council spent £334 on PlayStation consoles and £496 on yoga sessions for asylum seekers living in hotels. Croydon Council spent £317,224 on extra services, including £6,900 on music lessons to teach DJ skills. Bristol Council used £270,389 from government refugee settlement grants to take migrants on trips to watch football matches, even though the council is struggling with a £53 million budget gap and has closed several museums to save money.
Some councils have also paid for religious events and celebrations. Halton Council in Cheshire spent £5,000 on Iftar dinners for Muslim asylum seekers during Ramadan. Cheshire West and Chester Council paid £2,235 for transport to Eid prayers, and Middlesbrough Council spent £1,400 for a Koran reading session. Critics argue that public money should not be used to fund religious activities, especially when councils are cutting essential services for residents.
Driving lessons for asylum seekers have also been a controversial topic. Staffordshire County Council spent £18,000 on driving theory classes, while Bracknell Forest Council used government grants to pay £300 for driving lessons and £125 for a driving test for Afghan refugees. At the same time, many young British people struggle to afford driving lessons due to rising costs.
Many people believe that this kind of spending is unnecessary, especially when councils are raising council tax and cutting public services. Rupert Lowe, an MP from Reform UK, called the spending a “disgrace” and said the system is broken. He argued that taxpayers’ money should not be used for things like video games, driving lessons, and entertainment for asylum seekers. The TaxPayers’ Alliance also criticized the spending, saying people are frustrated that councils are prioritizing PlayStations over fixing potholes and improving basic services.
Despite the criticism, councils argue that this money comes from government grants specifically for refugee support and does not take away from local services. They say these programs help asylum seekers adjust to life in the UK and prepare them for work and education. However, with many councils facing financial crises and council tax rising year after year, people are asking whether this money could be spent in better ways.
Meanwhile, immigration continues to be a major issue in the UK. In 2024, net migration was 728,000, and the UK government spent £5.4 billion on refugee settlement programs. Since Labour scrapped the Rwanda deportation plan, the number of people arriving on small boats has increased, and more migrants are being housed in hotels at a huge cost to taxpayers. The government has promised to tighten border controls, but many critics say not enough is being done to reduce migration and control spending.
As councils continue to use taxpayer money for services like PlayStations, football trips, and yoga classes for asylum seekers, the debate over spending priorities is likely to grow. Many people believe that while helping refugees is important, local services and the needs of taxpayers should come first.
