Government says 'one in, one out' returns cost about £56,000 per person

The home secretary told MPs the UK’s arrangement with France to return one migrant for each taken in costs around £56,000 per person and defended the expenditure as comparable to alternative accommodation, officials said. The figure was disclosed under questioning by the Home Affairs Select Committee amid scrutiny over value for taxpayers.

The UK government’s "one in, one out" arrangement with France is costing roughly £56,000 for each person returned, the home secretary told MPs during questioning, according to Labour MP Shabana Mahmood.

Pressed by members of the Home Affairs Select Committee about whether the scheme represented good value for public money, the home secretary defended the expenditure, saying it was about the same or cheaper than putting an individual up in a hotel for a year.

Committee members probed the figures as they sought to establish whether the bilateral deal was delivering the outcomes ministers promised and whether the costs were sustainable for taxpayers. The £56,000 per person figure emerged during the session as MPs requested detailed accounting for the operation.

Ministers have argued the arrangement with France forms part of efforts to manage irregular crossings and reduce pressure on reception services, while acknowledging it carries substantial operational and financial implications. The disclosure is likely to intensify scrutiny of both the fiscal impact and the scheme’s effectiveness as the Home Affairs Committee continues its examination.