Urgent review ordered into asylum seeker taxi costs

London — The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has ordered an urgent review into the use and cost of taxis for moving asylum seekers from hotels to appointments, a move prompted by a BBC investigation that highlighted long taxi journeys and steep charges. The BBC reported that some migrants traveled hundreds of miles for appointments, including a case in which a 250-mile trip to see a GP carried a taxi bill the driver said would be about £600 to the Home Office. Asylum seekers receive a bus pass for one return journey per week; taxis are arranged for other necessary trips such as medical visits. The Home Office said it does not routinely keep figures on taxi spending for asylum seekers, even after the BBC filed a Freedom of Information Act request.

Geographic and logistical concerns were raised as the BBC visited four hotels housing asylum seekers, finding cramped conditions and reports of illegal working, as well as fire alarms that residents described as being covered with plastic bags and meals cooked over electric hobs in bathrooms.

Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he agreed there should be an investigation. He said the issue had drawn public attention and that a review was appropriate. Housing Minister Matthew Maycock said it was questionable why asylum seekers would need such long taxi journeys, and that the government would look into those cases. He added that asylum seekers are not ordinary citizens simply using a bus.

On paper, asylum seekers are issued a bus pass for one return journey per week, with taxi travel reserved for other essential trips such as medical appointments. The BBC's FOIA request found no published total for taxi spending, and officials noted the government does not maintain a central record. The urgent review will examine whether taxi use is proportionate to needs, the consistency of decisions across regions, and any potential cost-saving measures while maintaining access to services for asylum seekers.

Context around accommodation and support for asylum seekers has grown in public debate, with officials noting that conditions can vary by location. The government has pledged to examine practices and improve conditions, though it has not said there will be an immediate policy shift as a result of the BBC report. The outcome of the review could influence transport arrangements for asylum seekers in the future, including the balance between bus passes and taxi use.