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| Syria refugees to cost 'up to £23k each' in first year in UK | Syria refugees to cost 'up to £23k each' in first year in UK |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Each Syrian refugee is set to cost up to £23,420 in the first year of their relocation to the UK, figures seen by BBC News suggest. | Each Syrian refugee is set to cost up to £23,420 in the first year of their relocation to the UK, figures seen by BBC News suggest. |
| The Home Office has confirmed the figures, contained in a briefing document from an Essex local authority, are accurate. | The Home Office has confirmed the figures, contained in a briefing document from an Essex local authority, are accurate. |
| An adult benefit claimant from Syria costs up to £23,420, or £10,720 if they are able to work, the document said. | |
| The government has pledged to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020. | The government has pledged to take in 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020. |
| It has also provided £1bn in aid to Syria, with an extra £100m given to charities to help thousands displaced by the conflict. | It has also provided £1bn in aid to Syria, with an extra £100m given to charities to help thousands displaced by the conflict. |
| More than 11 million people have been forced from their homes in Syria as a result of fighting between President Bashar al-Assad's forces and those opposed to his rule, as well as jihadist militants from the so-called Islamic State. Thousands of these people have since been making their way to European countries, including the UK. | More than 11 million people have been forced from their homes in Syria as a result of fighting between President Bashar al-Assad's forces and those opposed to his rule, as well as jihadist militants from the so-called Islamic State. Thousands of these people have since been making their way to European countries, including the UK. |
| Medical care | Medical care |
| The documents suggest the cost of taking in Syrian children ranges from £10,720 for under threes to £16,220 for school age children between the ages of five and 18. | The documents suggest the cost of taking in Syrian children ranges from £10,720 for under threes to £16,220 for school age children between the ages of five and 18. |
| The cost per Syrian migrant to local councils is estimated to be £8,520 per person, along with costs of £12,700 for benefits and £2,200 for medical care to be funded by central government. | The cost per Syrian migrant to local councils is estimated to be £8,520 per person, along with costs of £12,700 for benefits and £2,200 for medical care to be funded by central government. |
| Another document seen by BBC Essex, entitled "Syrian Resettlement Scheme - Funding Process", states the government will give each council £8,520 per refugee. | Another document seen by BBC Essex, entitled "Syrian Resettlement Scheme - Funding Process", states the government will give each council £8,520 per refugee. |
| The figures suggest central government will cover the full cost to local authorities - but some politicians have warned this will not be the case. | The figures suggest central government will cover the full cost to local authorities - but some politicians have warned this will not be the case. |
| The document states that the Home Office has based its estimated costs on the government's current resettlement schemes for Gateway - refugees the UK takes through the United Nations - the VPR (Vulnerable Persons Relocation) scheme and the Afghan resettlement programme. | The document states that the Home Office has based its estimated costs on the government's current resettlement schemes for Gateway - refugees the UK takes through the United Nations - the VPR (Vulnerable Persons Relocation) scheme and the Afghan resettlement programme. |
| The Home Office document notes that "these [resettlement programmes] are significantly smaller than the proposed extension to VPR and do not always provide helpful data to allow us to set a unit cost at a level which gives us confidence". | The Home Office document notes that "these [resettlement programmes] are significantly smaller than the proposed extension to VPR and do not always provide helpful data to allow us to set a unit cost at a level which gives us confidence". |
| Refugee crisis | Refugee crisis |
| What is the UK doing to help? | What is the UK doing to help? |
| Are refugees prepared for life in the UK? | Are refugees prepared for life in the UK? |
| Lives of Syrian refugees already in UK | Lives of Syrian refugees already in UK |
| Journey from Syria to Bradford | Journey from Syria to Bradford |
| Crisis explained in graphics | Crisis explained in graphics |
| Leading former judges and lawyers have criticised the government's response to the migrant crisis, calling it "slow and narrow" and saying the offer to accept 20,000 refugees over five years is not enough. | Leading former judges and lawyers have criticised the government's response to the migrant crisis, calling it "slow and narrow" and saying the offer to accept 20,000 refugees over five years is not enough. |
| And 84 Church of England bishops have written to Prime Minister David Cameron, urging him to accept at least 50,000 Syrian refugees. | And 84 Church of England bishops have written to Prime Minister David Cameron, urging him to accept at least 50,000 Syrian refugees. |
| Thurrock Council leader John Kent accused the government of not covering the full cost to local authorities of taking on the Syrian refugees. | Thurrock Council leader John Kent accused the government of not covering the full cost to local authorities of taking on the Syrian refugees. |
| Mr Kent said: "There are significant costs attached to caring for unaccompanied children. Currently the government only funds 60% of those costs - the rest is picked up by the local council." | Mr Kent said: "There are significant costs attached to caring for unaccompanied children. Currently the government only funds 60% of those costs - the rest is picked up by the local council." |
| The Labour councillor said Thurrock will not be offering to take any Syrian migrants. | The Labour councillor said Thurrock will not be offering to take any Syrian migrants. |
| Edinburgh and Glasgow councils have pledged to take around 100 Syrian refugees, Newcastle and Birmingham up to 50 and Southend around 10. | Edinburgh and Glasgow councils have pledged to take around 100 Syrian refugees, Newcastle and Birmingham up to 50 and Southend around 10. |
| Southend told the BBC they had offered to take three families, with the cost in the first year looking set to be over £100,000. Other councils in Essex say they are likely to take between six and 10 but are still talking to government agencies. | Southend told the BBC they had offered to take three families, with the cost in the first year looking set to be over £100,000. Other councils in Essex say they are likely to take between six and 10 but are still talking to government agencies. |
| Last week, Essex County Council voted unanimously to call on the government to fully fund Syrian refugees for five years rather than just the first year which the government has pledged. | Last week, Essex County Council voted unanimously to call on the government to fully fund Syrian refugees for five years rather than just the first year which the government has pledged. |
| In a letter to local council chief executives, the Home Office said it will "also provide additional funding to assist with costs incurred in future years" and that "these arrangements will be applied to all cases since the 20,000 expansion was announced". | In a letter to local council chief executives, the Home Office said it will "also provide additional funding to assist with costs incurred in future years" and that "these arrangements will be applied to all cases since the 20,000 expansion was announced". |
| The detail of what this funding will be is still to be announced. | The detail of what this funding will be is still to be announced. |
| Jonathan Carr-West, of the Local Government Information Unit, a think tank on local government, said it was "good to see" that a commitment from several councils to taking in refugees is to be matched by funding from central government. | |
| But he said: "The complexity of local authority funding and the unpredictable knock on effect on other services suggest that for some councils, the extra money may not cover all their costs." | |
| He also said local authorities have a "crucial role" in mobilising communities to provide support to those "fleeing danger and persecution". |