'One in, One Out' Deal with France Sees Costs Jump to £56,000 a Head
Shabana Mahmood said the returns deal has deported about 1,400 people since August 2025, as the UK seeks to deter Channel crossings.
- On Tuesday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the Commons Home Affairs Committee that the government's 'one in, one out' returns scheme costs about £56,000 per person.
- Under the UK-France Agreement, Britain returns small-boat arrivals while accepting an equal number of eligible asylum seekers from France; this reciprocal process exceeds the £48,800 average cost for standard enforced returns.
- Since the pilot began in August 2025, the government has deported around 1,400 people, though Mahmood conceded that scaling weekly removals has been 'operationally difficult' on both sides.
- Reform UK opposes the swap as an expensive failure rather than a deterrent, advocating instead for 'Operation Fortress,' a plan to intercept boats and return migrants without accepting equivalent numbers.
- Arrivals by small boat fell 44% between January 1 and September 14, 2026, compared to the same period last year, with The National Crime Agency crediting law enforcement as a 'key factor' in reducing crossings.
12 Articles
12 Articles
For a year, Britain has sent 1,400 migrants back to France under a pilot scheme. And it's expensive. Now the deal stands to expire, but the British government would like to extend.
UK migrant return deal with France is costing about €65,500 for each person sent back
The UK's return deal with France costs about £56,000 per person, higher than previously estimated. Home Secretary Mahmood highlighted ongoing negotiations for potential changes to the policy. Source
Labour admits 'one-in, one-out' deal costs £56k per migrant after Home Office rejected GB News request
Labour has admitted that the “one-in, one-out“ deal with France costs £56,000 per migrant, just months after they denied a request from GB News to reveal the information.Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has confirmed the cost per migrant to the Home Affairs Committee. Since the scheme with France was launched last summer, 1,400 migrants have been sent back across the Channel.Including detention, security and legal costs, on top of the costs of rem…
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