Impact Hub

The Real Cost — Full Breakdown

All figures sourced from official government data, National Audit Office reports and parliamentary committee findings.

Cost Per Taxpayer
Figure What It Means Year Source
£2.02
Weekly cost per taxpayer
The entire UK asylum system costs each taxpayer just £2.02 per week — less than a packet of crisps.
2025
£105
Annual cost per taxpayer
Based on £4 billion total asylum support costs divided by 39 million UK taxpayers.
2025
Asylum Seeker Support
Figure What It Means Year Source
£49.18
Weekly subsistence payment to asylum seekers
Asylum seekers receive just £49.18 per week — barely half the £92.34 Universal Credit available to UK citizens.
2025
Contractor Profits
Figure What It Means Year Source
£383 million
Combined contractor profits since 2019
Clearsprings, Serco and Mears have made £383 million in combined profits from asylum accommodation contracts since 2019.
2025
£146 per minute
Profit per minute from asylum contracts
Private contractors made £146 in pure profit every minute for five years from taxpayer-funded asylum accommodation.
2025
£274 million
Serco annual profit 2024
Serco recorded £274 million in profit in 2024, with £146 million in just the first half of 2025 — on track for a new record.
2024
Tenfold — from £700m to £7 billion
Clearsprings contract value increase
Clearsprings Ready Homes contract value increased tenfold since 2019. Its director has been labelled the "asylum king" on rich-list estimates.
2025
Total System Cost
Figure What It Means Year Source
£4 billion
Total asylum support 2024-25
Total Home Office spending on asylum support, accommodation and resettlement in 2024-25.
2025
£1.3 billion
Hotel accommodation cost 2024-25
Hotels cost £1.3 billion in one year — 76% of all accommodation costs — yet housed only 35% of asylum seekers.
2025
Tripled — £4.5bn to £15.3bn
Contract cost increase 2019-2029
The expected cost of asylum accommodation contracts tripled from the original estimate, described by MPs as a failed, chaotic and expensive system.
2025
Cost Per Claim
Figure What It Means Year Source
£18,700
Cost per asylum claim to process
Each individual asylum claim costs the taxpayer £18,700 to process, based on Home Office figures published July 2026.
2026

Private Contractors — Profiting from the System

Clearsprings Ready Homes
Annual Profit ~£90 million per year
Profit/minute £171 per minute
Contract Value £7 billion (tenfold increase from original)
Region South of England

Director labelled "asylum king" on rich-list. £119 million pre-tax profit — 60% increase. Largest profiteer from asylum accommodation. Operates with no transparency about ownership structure.

Source
Serco
Annual Profit £274 million (2024)
Profit/minute £520 per minute (company-wide)
Contract Value £445 million in 2024-25 for its regions
Region Midlands, East of England, North West

Recorded £146 million profit in first half of 2025 alone — on track to beat 2024 record. Manages dispersed accommodation across multiple regions.

Source
Mears Group
Annual Profit £64 million (2024)
Profit/minute £122 per minute
Contract Value Part of £15.3 billion total AASC contracts
Region Scotland, Wales, South West

Posted 5% increase in half-year results 2025 — £32 million. On course to beat 2024 record. Agreed to return £13.8 million pending Home Office audit.

Source