Manchester spending 3rd most in UK on social care for asylum seeking children and adults

The research, by the TaxPayers’ Alliance finds that total spending now exceeds £700 million, with spending on adults alone up by 165 per cent from £50.6 million in 2019-20 to £133.9 million in 2024-25

As councils prepare their budgets for 2026-27, campaigners have warned that social care for asylum seekers is “yet another ticking time bomb” in town hall budgets spending by local councils on asylum seekers is made up of three elements: adult asylum seeker support, children’s social care (meaning children who are with their families) and children looked after (meaning unaccompanied children).

Social care for asylum seekers is separate to Home Office asylum support such as hotels, dispersal housing, meals, and subsistence payments. It can include practical support such as interpretation and language services, and help accessing health, housing, education and legal services. Where asylum-seeking children are taken into care, it also includes the cost of accommodation and care placements.

Among the councils with the highest spending were Kent, Hampshire, Manchester, Surrey and Bristol.

The three local authorities with the highest combined asylum seeker support spending in 2024-25 were:

1. Kent, which spent £41.6 million

2. Hampshire, which spent £23.9 million

3. Manchester, which spent £23.2 million

Manchester also made it into the top ten local authorities with the largest increase in real combined asylum seeker support spending, 2019-20 to 2024-25 with £11.7 million to £23.2 million, an increase of £11.5 million or 98 per cent.

Additionally, Manchester is in the list of the ten local authorities with the highest asylum support spending per household, 2024-25, with £23.2 million spent across 211,301 households, or £110 per household.

Anne Strickland, researcher of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "The escalating costs of providing social care for asylum seekers represents yet another ticking time bomb in town hall budgets, with local residents suffering the consequences.

“Taxpayers have watched on with dismay at the failure of successive governments to get a grip on this issue, knowing that they will inevitably end up picking up the tab.“With councils essentially helpless in the face of this ongoing crisis, it’s imperative that Whitehall urgently finds a way to stop the migration crisis.”

Manchester City Council was contacted for a comment on the data listed but did not respond.