The UK government has introduced new reforms requiring asylum seekers to pay up to £10,000 (about N18 million) before they can qualify for permanent settlement.

The proposal, presented to Parliament, gives the Home Office powers to recover the cost of accommodation and financial support provided to asylum seekers from those who are financially able to repay it.

UK authorities said the policy is aimed at reducing the financial burden of the asylum system on taxpayers, adding that beneficiaries who later become financially stable should contribute towards the support they received.

The new repayment requirement will also apply to former asylum seekers who leave the UK and later seek to return.

According to the Home Office, asylum accommodation costs an average of £23.25 per person per night in dispersal housing and £144 per night in hotels, while weekly subsistence payments range from £9.95 to £49.18.

The government said the reforms are designed to ensure asylum seekers take greater responsibility for the public costs associated with their stay in the UK.