Family Accused Of lying about their identity to claim asylum in the UK is living in a £575,000 luxury house
A family accused of lying about their identity to claim asylum in the UK is living in a £575,000 luxury house in Hemel Hempstead, costing taxpayers over £160,000 in the past year.
The family includes Gurbakhsh Singh, 72, his wife Ardet Kaur, 68, their son Guljeet Singh, 43, and his wife Kawaljeet Kaur, 37. They appeared in court earlier this month after being accused of pretending to be from Afghanistan to gain asylum in the UK.
It is claimed they arrived at Heathrow Airport last December and told authorities they were fleeing from the Taliban-led country. However, it is alleged that they are Indian nationals who had failed to get UK visas twice earlier in the same year.
Initially, the family stayed at a Holiday Inn in Wembley, a hotel entirely booked by the Home Office to house asylum seekers. Recently, they moved into a new four-bedroom home in Hemel Hempstead as part of their bail conditions.
The house is described as modern and spacious, with features like a luxurious open-plan kitchen, soft carpets, a landscaped garden, and parking for two cars. It even includes a loft with views of Hertfordshire.
The charges against them include making false statements at Heathrow to claim asylum as Afghan citizens and entering the UK illegally. Court documents also allege that they had previously declared themselves as Indian nationals when applying for visas, submitting evidence that they were not from Afghanistan.
Despite the accusations, the family has pleaded not guilty to all charges and will face trial at Croydon Crown Court in January.
The case has raised concerns about the costs of housing asylum seekers in the UK. Reports reveal that the expenses have risen significantly, from £17,000 per person annually in 2019/20 to £41,000 in 2023/24. The family’s situation highlights how much public money is spent on supporting individuals awaiting their asylum claims to be processed.
The Home Office has said they cannot comment directly on the case but assured the public that they investigate any suspected abuse of the asylum system. The government has faced increasing pressure to address such issues, as the cost of accommodating asylum seekers continues to rise.
