UK to ban asylum seekers from using taxis for medical appointments

(MENAFN) The UK government will ban asylum seekers from using taxis for medical appointments starting in February, following reports that the Home Office spends roughly £15.8 million ($21 million) annually on the service. Under the new rules, asylum seekers must use alternative transport, such as buses, regardless of the urgency of their medical needs. Campaigners warn that this could prevent vulnerable individuals from accessing essential care unless the government provides free public transport.

Currently, asylum seekers receive funding for one return bus journey per week, but Home Office contractors often book taxis for additional trips, sometimes at high cost. In southeast London, one subcontractor reportedly charged the Home Office about £1,000 a day for up to 15 short taxi journeys from hotels to GP surgeries. The government stated that taxis will now be limited to exceptional, documented cases, including individuals with physical disabilities, chronic illnesses, or pregnancy-related needs, and each journey must receive prior approval from the Home Office.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, criticized the plan, saying the criteria for taxi use will likely be too strict and that inconsistent vulnerability assessments could leave people unable to access necessary medical care. He described the high taxi expenditure as a result of “government incompetence and poor contract management.”

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