Asylum-seekers moved to Liverpool to cut costs

Destitute asylum-seekers are to be transferred from London to Liverpool in a cost-cutting exercise, Westminster City Council said. A total of 128 refugees will be sent to an "all-inclusive" hostel instead of being housed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

The scheme, costing pounds 126 a week per asylum-seeker instead of the pounds 175 now spent, will save the borough pounds 250,000 a year. It comes as the capital struggles to accommodate all 4,600 destitute asylum- seekers entitled to be fed and housed by Social Services after a court ruling in October. At present, the borough accommodates 444 refugees in 40 bed and breakfasts. They sometimes sleep three to a room and get meals-on-wheels.

Under the new scheme, they will be in a centrally-heated hostel, in single and shared rooms and will be given three meals a day, English lessons, job training and toiletries. The hostel also offers a permanently available member of staff to deal with asylum queries.

A Westminster council spokesman said the scheme had only been agreed to after the borough had introduced "additional monitoring safeguards" to ensure standards were maintained and a tight rein kept on the financial management.