The Labour government is increasing legal aid fees for asylum and immigration cases by 30%, raising the total cost to taxpayers from £47 million to £61 million per year. The move comes as the number of small boat arrivals reached 20,000 the earliest this milestone has ever been hit in a calendar year.
Announced by the Ministry of Justice, the immigrants policy is intended to speed up the processing of asylum claims and reduce reliance on hotels for migrant accommodation. Ministers say the investment will help clear the current backlog of 90,000 cases and improve the functioning of the immigration legal system.
This is the first increase in legal aid rates since 2006, based on hourly rates set in 1996. The Ministry noted that many legal aid firms have withdrawn from immigration work due to uncompetitive fees, putting further pressure on an already strained system.
Labour showing true colours on illegal immigrants
The move has sparked sharp criticism from the Conservative Party. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, accused Labour of prioritising the needs of migrants over those of British citizens:
“Labour is showing its true colours on the side of illegal immigrants, not the British people. By raising legal aid for asylum seekers, they’re making Britain even more of a magnet for illegal migration.”
Philp also criticised immigration lawyers, calling them parasitic and accusing them of helping clients submit bogus claims under asylum, human rights, and modern slavery laws.
“This will only encourage more Channel crossings, and it sends entirely the wrong message at a time when crossings are already at a record high.”
According to Philp, 2025 is on track to become the worst year on record for illegal small boat arrivals.
The new justice minister, Sarah Sackman, defended the policy, describing it as a necessary investment to restore efficiency and accountability in the asylum system:
“We are serious about ending the use of hotels and increasing the rate of returns. That requires a functioning legal aid sector capable of supporting that goal.”
Sackman also highlighted that the additional funding is targeted at professionalising and expanding legal services for complex immigration cases, including detention challenges, deportation appeals, and cases involving victims of modern slavery and domestic abuse.
The decision to boost legal aid comes amid public concern over high-profile immigration rulings. Recent media reports have highlighted cases in which asylum seekers have avoided deportation by citing human rights grounds. In one instance, a Pakistani man was allowed to stay in the UK after a judge ruled that deportation would harm his son’s mental health. Another applicant from Tajikistan successfully argued that deportation would infringe on his religious rights by requiring him to shave his beard.
Legal aid for migrants is primarily limited to asylum seekers and individuals facing detention or removal. It can also be used in cases involving vulnerable migrants, such as victims of trafficking or abuse.
While critics view the legal aid rise as a pull factor encouraging illegal migration, supporters argue that it is a long-overdue adjustment to ensure fair access to justice and to help resolve cases more efficiently.
