Asylum seekers facing benefits cut
Allowances for some asylum seekers are to be cut as part of a bid by the Government to slash costs in the face of the recession.
Single people aged over 25 arriving in the UK to seek refuge will receive £35.15 per week in subsistence payments instead of the present £42.16 from this autumn.
The UK Border Agency said a review had established that the payments had been overly generous in the past as accommodation and utility charges were met by the state.
A spokesman said: "In view of the difficult economic climate, support rates were reviewed this year to ensure that essential living needs of asylum seekers could be met within budgetary constraints.
"Historically, support for asylum seekers has been linked to Income Support rates. Income Support rates are higher for those over 25 and lone parents because they are more likely to be living independently.
"This does not apply to asylum seekers, who typically live in UK Border Agency accommodation and so have no housing costs, or water, gas or electricity bills."
Lone parent families would not end up worse off, the spokesman insisted, with the amount of money going to asylum-seeking children going up by 5.2%.
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