Isle Of Wight Spent More Than £2m On Asylum Seeker Social Care Last Year

The Isle of Wight Council spent just over £2 million supporting asylum seekers through social care services last year, according to newly published figures.

Data released by the TaxPayers’ Alliance shows the Island spent £2.096 million in the most recent financial year, down from £2.458 million in 2023.

Around £1.26 million of the total was used to support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in local authority care.

Across the wider Hampshire area, councils spent a combined £31.7 million on asylum seeker social care.

The largest share fell to Hampshire County Council, which spent £23.9 million in 2024 – the second-highest total in England behind Kent.

Of Hampshire’s total spend, more than £20 million went towards supporting looked-after asylum-seeking children, with a further £1.9 million spent on adult asylum seekers.

Government figures show the number of unaccompanied children supported by Hampshire fell from 305 in March 2024 to 181 by March 2025.

Elsewhere in the region, Southampton City Council spent £3.32 million on asylum seeker support last year, while Portsmouth City Council spent £2.4 million, most of which was also linked to caring for unaccompanied children.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance says rising costs are being driven largely by the increasing number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, who become the legal responsibility of local authorities when they arrive in the UK.

As of March 2025, more than 1,300 asylum seekers were receiving local authority support across Hampshire.

Hampshire County Council has been approached for comment.