Politics

Outrage Grows as Petition to Cut Asylum Seeker Support Smashes 400k Signatures

Published on July 9, 2025

A petition calling on the Government to scrap financial and welfare support for asylum seekers has exploded in popularity, topping more than 402,000 signatures and gaining serious momentum online.

The petition, launched by Bob Clements, demands a full stop to the help currently given to asylum seekers — including housing, food, medical care (even dental and optical), and a small amount of cash support. Clements claims that providing such aid may “inadvertently incentivise illegal migration, particularly via the English Channel,” and is urging ministers to pull the plug on those measures completely.

Because the petition has crossed the 100,000 signature threshold, it now qualifies to be considered for debate in Parliament. But so far, 35 days have passed since that milestone was reached, and it’s still waiting for a date, reported the Express.

In the meantime, the Government has already issued an official response. While thanking the public for signing the petition, a spokesperson made it clear that immediate removal of support would have serious consequences. “We understand the objective behind that proposal, but we have to recognise that – in many cases – the people currently receiving that support would end up living on the street instead, including many women and children,” they said.

They also pointed to the most recent data showing there were already 4,667 rough sleepers in England in autumn 2024, warning that number would rise dramatically if all support for asylum seekers was suddenly withdrawn.

The Government added, “There is a legal requirement to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be living on the streets.” However, they also reinforced their wider goal, stating that ministers remain “determined to tackle illegal migration and end the use of asylum hotels.”

Instead of cutting support entirely, the current plan is to speed up asylum processing — so those with legitimate claims can be approved more quickly and those without can be removed. “Either way, we can keep working to cut the amount of money spent on asylum support,” the statement added.

There’s also talk of broader reform. “We will continue taking strong action to reduce the number of people entering the UK asylum system in the first place,” the spokesperson said.

All this comes as France’s President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the UK, promising to ramp up joint efforts between Britain and France when it comes to managing migration. He said the two nations would continue to work together in a “concrete, effective and lasting” way, across issues like security, innovation, and yes — migration.

At the same time, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is hoping to seal a “one in, one out” style agreement with EU countries. The aim would be to exchange migrants who cross the Channel with other asylum seekers already in Europe who have strong ties to Britain.

And it’s not just theoretical — over 20,000 people have already made the crossing this year, marking the fastest point that figure has been reached in recent times.

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