# Cost of Deportation UK

> **Key finding:** Enforced removal costs **£48,800** on average — the first official published figure (Home Office, March 2026). Voluntary return: **£4,300** — 11× cheaper. Hotel year: **£62,050** — more than deportation.

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## Official Cost Figures (FY 2024/25)

| Type | Avg. cost | Volume | Total spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enforced removal | £48,800 | 8,600 | £420 million |
| Voluntary return | £4,300 | 13,700 | £58 million |
| Total IE budget (2023/24) | — | — | £482 million |

## Historical Cost Trend

| Year | Avg. cost per enforced removal | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | ~£15,000 | Estimate (parliamentary question) |
| 2023/24 | ~£28,000 | Estimate (parliamentary question) |
| 2024/25 | £48,800 | First official published figure |

225% increase in two years.

## Cost Components

| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Caseworking & logistics | Staff time, case management, documentation |
| Detention | IRC costs, typically £100–130/person/day |
| Escorting | Often 2 custody officers per person on flight |
| Flight costs | Scheduled or charter; charter ~£13,000/person |
| Voluntary returns payments | Financial support for assisted departures |

Note: Cost includes both successful and failed removal attempts (cannot be separated).

## Comparative Costs

| Scenario | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| One person in hotel accommodation | £62,050 |
| One enforced removal | £48,800 |
| One voluntary return | £4,300 |
| Rwanda scheme (NAO est. per transfer) | £150,000 |
| Deport all 10,361 FNOs in prison (est.) | ~£505 million |

## Rwanda Scheme

- Cost to UK by July 2024: **£715 million** (£240m to Rwanda + operating costs)
- Transfers made: **zero**
- Ruled unlawful by Supreme Court: November 2023
- Scrapped by Labour: July 2024

## Related Pages

- [Asylum Accommodation Costs](https://www.deported.co.uk/accommodation/) | [accommodation.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/accommodation.md)
- [Returns & Deportation](https://www.deported.co.uk/returns/) | [returns.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/returns.md)
- [Why People Are Not Deported](https://www.deported.co.uk/not-deported/)

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## All Pages

- [Returns & Deportation](https://www.deported.co.uk/returns/) | [returns.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/returns.md)
- [Foreign National Offenders](https://www.deported.co.uk/foreign-national-offenders/) | [foreign-national-offenders.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/foreign-national-offenders.md)
- [Why People Are Not Deported](https://www.deported.co.uk/not-deported/) | [not-deported.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/not-deported.md)
- [Cost of Deportation](https://www.deported.co.uk/costs/) | [costs.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/costs.md)
- [Asylum Statistics](https://www.deported.co.uk/asylum/) | [asylum.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/asylum.md)
- [Foreign Nationals and Benefits](https://www.deported.co.uk/benefits/) | [benefits.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/benefits.md)
- [Asylum Accommodation Costs](https://www.deported.co.uk/accommodation/) | [accommodation.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/accommodation.md)
- [Labour Market](https://www.deported.co.uk/labour-market/) | [labour-market.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/labour-market.md)
- [Returns by Nationality](https://www.deported.co.uk/nationality/) | [nationality.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/nationality.md)
- [Sponsor Register](https://www.deported.co.uk/sponsored-workers/) | [sponsored-workers.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/sponsored-workers.md)
- [Policy Timeline](https://www.deported.co.uk/policy-timeline/) | [policy-timeline.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/policy-timeline.md)
- [Party Policies](https://www.deported.co.uk/party-policies/) | [party-policies.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/party-policies.md)
- [2025 Annual Review](https://www.deported.co.uk/2025/) | [2025.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/2025.md)
- [2024 Annual Review](https://www.deported.co.uk/2024/) | [2024.md](https://www.deported.co.uk/2024.md)

- [llms.txt](https://www.deported.co.uk/llms.txt) | [sitemap.xml](https://www.deported.co.uk/sitemap.xml)

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