(MENAFN) Asylum seekers arriving in the UK could see their valuables confiscated as part of a plan to offset the costs of benefits, according to a statement from a British Home Office minister.

The UK government, led by Keir Starmer, is preparing to reform its immigration policy with the aim of reducing the number of refugees arriving in the country.

Alex Norris, the Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum at the Home Office, told British media on Monday that high-value assets such as vehicles could be seized.

This statement came ahead of the formal announcement from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to Parliament.

Norris stated, “It is right if those people have money in the bank, people have assets like cars, like e-bikes, they should be contributing... Those are assets they should contribute to the cost of benefits.”

A media outlet earlier reported that valuables, including jewelry and watches, might be confiscated and sold to help cover housing costs for asylum seekers.

Norris reassured the public that authorities would not seize “heirlooms” or sentimental items, stating, “If someone comes over with a bag full of gold rings, well, that’s different to what I said about the heirloom.”

He added that the public should await Mahmood’s full statement for further clarification.

The proposal has drawn comparisons to Denmark’s asylum policy, which allows authorities to seize assets above a specific threshold to fund support services and discourage arrivals.

Switzerland has similar laws, permitting the confiscation of cash or valuables worth more than roughly €900 to help cover the costs of supporting asylum seekers.

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