Everything free for asylum seekers, the bill paid for by citizens.

In many Western countries, asylum policy has in recent decades become one of the most controversial topics in public debate. Governments often present shelter and aid to asylum seekers as a humanitarian duty, but the reality is that these provisions are not only generous, in many cases they are completely free. While newcomers receive housing, food, medical care, education and legal assistance at no direct cost, many local citizens see their own access to these services being reduced. This leads to tensions, a growing sense of injustice, and the perception that the rights and interests of citizens are being subordinated to those of people who have only recently entered the country.

How the system works: accommodation and provisions

In most countries with a generous asylum policy, asylum seekers are accommodated immediately upon arrival in reception centres, often with full room and board. They receive meals, clothing, medical care and support from social workers, all paid for with taxpayers’ money. In the Netherlands, for example, asylum seekers are placed in facilities managed by the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). Here they receive free accommodation, three meals a day, access to medical services, and a weekly financial allowance (Jaarverslag COA 2023, COA).

The same applies in the United Kingdom, where asylum seekers are provided with state-funded accommodation, often in hotels when other housing is unavailable. This includes meals, utility costs, and in some cases, cash payments for daily expenses (Asylum Support, UK Home Office). The hotel accommodation policy, originally designed as an emergency measure, has now become a major cost item, with the UK government spending over £8 million per day on hotels for asylum seekers (Home Office annual report 2023, UK Government).

In addition, programmes are offered to promote integration, including language courses, labour market orientation and legal assistance in applying for a residence permit. These provisions are intended to make the transition to a new life smooth, but the costs run into hundreds of millions each year (Monitor Integratie en Samenleving, SCP).

Financial support on top of free provisions

In addition to accommodation and basic necessities, asylum seekers often receive a financial allowance. In the Netherlands this can amount to a sum that, although modest, can still be higher than what some local low-income citizens have left after paying fixed expenses (Kamerbrief opvang asielzoekers, Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid).

In Germany and Sweden, a similar system applies in which all essential costs are covered and pocket money is provided on top (Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz, Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales). In the UK, asylum seekers receive a weekly cash allowance of £49.18 per person to cover essential items such as food, clothing and toiletries, in addition to free housing and utility coverage (Asylum Support Rates, UK Home Office).

This means that asylum seekers, before paying taxes or contributing to society, already have access to provisions that are not easily accessible to many citizens.

The impact on the rights and services for the local population

The main point of criticism is that the extensive and free provisions for asylum seekers come at the expense of the local population. This can manifest itself in several ways, such as longer waiting times for social housing, pressure on healthcare, overcrowded schools and a heavier tax burden.

Housing: waiting times and displacement

One of the most tangible consequences is the pressure on the housing market. In the Netherlands, the waiting time for a social rental home in some cities has risen to more than ten years (Staat van de Volkshuisvesting 2024, Ministerie van BZK). Asylum seekers who are granted a residence status often have priority on the waiting list. This means that Dutch families, who may have been waiting for years, must join the back of the queue again.

The same problem occurs in Germany and Belgium. The report Housing for Refugees in Europe (European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless) acknowledges that status holders often receive priority, which increases pressure on the existing housing supply.

In the UK, local councils are required to house recognised refugees, often moving them into the already overstretched social housing stock (UK Housing Crisis and Refugee Accommodation, National Housing Federation). This has caused frustration among long-term residents who are competing for the same limited housing, with some councils openly stating that they have no remaining capacity for local applicants.

Healthcare: longer waiting times and higher costs

Free healthcare for asylum seekers sounds noble, but in practice it leads to longer waiting times and higher costs for the taxpayer. In many cases, asylum seekers gain faster access to GP care and specialist treatments because their medical needs are considered urgent by law (Migrants’ Access to Healthcare in Europe, European Public Health Alliance).

For the local population, who are already confronted with overcrowded waiting rooms and months-long waits for certain treatments, this can feel like unjust disadvantage. The NZa Marktscan Zorgverzekeringsmarkt (Nederlandse Zorgautoriteit) also warns that the influx of new healthcare beneficiaries places extra pressure on the system.

In the UK, asylum seekers are entitled to free NHS healthcare, including GP services, hospital care and specialist treatments (NHS Entitlements for Migrants, UK Department of Health and Social Care). This entitlement has been criticised for adding strain to an already overstretched NHS, with waiting lists in England reaching a record 7.6 million in 2023 (NHS Waiting Times, NHS England).

Education: pressure on schools and learning delays

Children of asylum seekers are placed directly in mainstream education in many countries. While on paper this promotes integration, in practice it places extra pressure on schools. Teachers have to deal with language barriers, trauma counselling and cultural differences, which requires much extra time and resources (Onderwijsverslag 2023, Onderwijsinspectie).

Research (Educational Challenges for Refugee Children, OECD) shows that in classrooms with a high percentage of non-native newcomer pupils, the performance of all students declines simply because teachers have less time available for the rest of the class.

In the UK, the arrival of asylum-seeking children has placed significant demands on schools in certain regions, particularly where large numbers have been relocated. Local authorities have reported shortages of school places and difficulties in meeting the needs of pupils with no English language skills (Impact of Migration on Schools, UK Department for Education).

Legal and social inequality

Providing free provisions to asylum seekers creates, in the eyes of many citizens, a system of unequal rights. Citizens who have worked and paid taxes all their lives often have to go through complicated procedures to qualify for assistance, while asylum seekers receive it without reservation.

Double standards

The legislation in many European countries stipulates that asylum seekers are entitled to a minimum package of provisions that is often more generous than what certain groups of citizens receive (Reception Conditions Directive 2013/33/EU, Europese Commissie). A Dutch welfare recipient, for example, can be cut back if they receive help from family, while asylum seekers often receive unconditional support.

The same criticism is present in the UK, where citizens applying for welfare benefits face strict eligibility tests and sanctions, yet asylum seekers receive accommodation and cash support without having contributed to the tax base (House of Commons Briefing Paper on Asylum Support, UK Parliament).

The legal privilege

In addition, asylum seekers receive free legal aid, often multiple times during their procedure, including appeals (Jaarverslag Raad voor Rechtsbijstand 2023, Raad voor Rechtsbijstand). For the average citizen, hiring a lawyer is an expensive matter that often requires saving up. This free legal aid for asylum seekers is paid for by the state, which means additional costs for the taxpayer.

In the UK, asylum seekers are entitled to free legal advice and representation funded by the Legal Aid Agency, covering their initial claim, appeals and in many cases judicial review (Legal Aid for Asylum Seekers, UK Ministry of Justice). This access is broader than what many low-income citizens can obtain for other civil matters.

Consequences for social cohesion

The generous free provisions for asylum seekers contribute to the feeling that there is a double standard. For many citizens, it feels as though their rights and interests are being subordinated to those of newcomers, undermining social cohesion.

Distrust in government and institutions

When citizens see that they themselves have to fight for provisions while newcomers receive them for free, it erodes trust in government. The idea that policy should be fair and just is undermined. The report Trust in Government (OECD) shows that unequal treatment of population groups is one of the main causes of declining trust in democratic institutions.

In the UK, public opinion surveys have repeatedly shown that immigration and asylum are among the top concerns for voters, with a majority believing that the current system is unfair and places too much strain on public services (British Social Attitudes Survey, NatCen Social Research).

Polarisation and tensions

The unequal distribution of resources fuels social tensions. It becomes fertile ground for populist parties and polarisation in public debate. This often leads to protests, heated council meetings and conflicts between residents and municipal authorities over the arrival of new reception centres (Analyse maatschappelijke onrust rond AZC’s, Politieacademie).

In the UK, protests have been reported in several towns where hotels have been requisitioned to house asylum seekers, with local residents objecting to the lack of consultation and the impact on their communities (Asylum Accommodation Protests, BBC News).

The costs to the taxpayer

According to the report Annual Report on Migration and Asylum (European Commission), the costs of asylum reception in the EU run into the billions each year. In the Netherlands alone, the reception and integration of asylum seekers costs hundreds of millions annually (Begroting 2024 Justitie en Veiligheid, Rijksoverheid).

In the UK, asylum accommodation and support costs reached £3.97 billion in 2022–23, a figure that has risen sharply in recent years due to the use of hotels (Home Office annual report 2023, UK Government). The hotel accommodation policy alone has cost more than £2.3 billion in a single year, equivalent to around £6 million per day on average.

The economic pressure is especially felt in smaller municipalities, where the arrival of an asylum seekers’ centre can take a considerable bite out of the municipal budget. Municipalities have to deploy extra police, expand facilities and set up social programmes, often without extra state support (Financiële gevolgen opvang asielzoekers voor gemeenten, VNG).

Conclusion: a system out of balance

The current system of free and extensive provisions for asylum seekers, no matter how noble the intention, creates a situation in which the rights and interests of the local population come under pressure. Housing, healthcare, education and legal aid are arranged in such a way that newcomers often have faster and more generous access than citizens who have contributed to the country their entire lives.

This not only creates financial pressure, it also fuels social polarisation and declining trust in government. A fairer system would have to recognise that humanitarian aid should not mean that citizens are structurally disadvantaged.

Without reforms, the risk remains that public support for reception and integration will disappear completely, which will be damaging both for newcomers and for society as a whole.