The UK's "one in, one out" scheme to return migrants to France is costing £56,000 per person, according to The Guardian, BBC, and Daily Mail. The scheme, which began in August 2026, has already removed approximately 1,400 people to France. The Home Office's estimated average cost for enforced migrant returns is £48,800, but the actual cost has risen to £56,000 per person.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood disclosed the figure during a press conference, stating that the policy had been "difficult" to scale up. She also noted that the scheme had returned more migrants than expected. The pilot program has been extended once and is now due to run into October.
France is actively involved in the scheme, which aims to reduce the number of migrants arriving in the UK. However, some migrants have returned to the UK in lorries or small boats, complicating the initiative's effectiveness.
Policy Impact
The high cost of the scheme has raised concerns about its sustainability and effectiveness. The Home Office's initial estimate of £48,800 per person was surpassed, with the actual cost reaching £56,000. This increase highlights the challenges faced in implementing the policy and managing the logistics of returning migrants.
Procedural Challenges
The Home Secretary acknowledged that scaling up the program had been challenging. Despite these difficulties, the scheme has managed to return more migrants than initially anticipated. The extension of the pilot program until October indicates that the government is committed to evaluating its long-term viability.
Next Steps
The Home Office must continue to monitor the costs and effectiveness of the scheme. With the program extended into October, the government will have more time to assess whether the initiative can be sustained at the current cost. The involvement of France in the scheme underscores the international cooperation required to address the issue of migrant arrivals.
The last substantive fact is the extension of the pilot program until October, indicating ongoing evaluation of the scheme's effectiveness and cost.