The UK has paid migrants £53 million (around BD27m) to leave the country over the past four years, according to The Independent, a British online newspaper.
Under a voluntary return scheme run by the government, migrants can receive up to £3,000 (approximately BD1,500) as an incentive to return to their home country, as part of what are known as ‘assisted returns’. They also have their flights paid for as part of the deal.
Assisted returns have been on the rise in recent years, with 6,799 people travelling home this way in 2024 compared to 2,179 people in 2022. Between 2021 and 2024, 13,637 people have taken an assisted return, according to Home Office data, the newspaper reported.
In the UK, a person can qualify for this money if they are returning to a developing country, are a failed asylum seeker, are a confirmed victim of modern slavery, are sleeping rough or have a medical condition.
In 2024, more than half of the foreign nationals who accepted assisted returns were from Brazil, with 3,573 taking up the offer. The second highest nationality was India, with 915 people returning in 2024, and then 271 going back to Honduras.
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