Migrants face bills of up to £10,000 for asylum hotel stays

Bid to recoup £4bn accommodation cost

- BY MICHAEL KNOWLES Home Affairs Editor

ASYLUM seekers will be forced to pay up to £10,000 towards the costs of their hotels and taxpayer-funded homes under bombshell new plans. Migrants will face monthly bills for their accommodation, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood willing to deduct the cash from benefit payments.

Those given the right to work — once their asylum claims have been accepted — will also be told to begin paying back their costs.

Refugees will be barred from gaining settlement rights if they have not paid back the "full amount", sources said.

Officials added: "Anyone who leaves the UK will be required to make their payments if they wish to return at a future date."

Under the current plans, migrants are expected to pay around £10,000.

Ms Mahmood said: "The cost of asylum accommodation on the British taxpayer is too high.