Taxpayers have shelled out nearly £500,000 on bus passes and sandwich deliveries for refugees over the last four years.The spending is part of 200 government and local council-funded schemes costing £6.6 billion over the past five years, reports the Sunday Express. Critics have slammed the “bonkers” expenditure, saying the money should have been spent on improving public services instead.The contracts include £426,300 for bus passes in Bristol and nearly £50,000 for sandwich deliveries to intake units in Croydon and Kent.Bristol City Council has announced the schemeGetty/Google MapsBristol City Council issued three separate contracts for bus passes between July 2021 and November 2024, with one programme running until 2027. First Bus UK was awarded two contracts worth £264,000 and £72,300 for refugee bus passes.First West of England received the third contract valued at £90,000.The spending on transportation for refugees comes despite Bristol being dubbed as one of the most walkable cities in the worldCouncillor Christine Townsend defended the spending, saying: “As a City of Sanctuary, Bristol is proud to welcome and provide safety for people seeking sanctuary.”LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
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In the southeast of England, the Home Office awarded contracts to Anchor Catering to supply sandwiches to refugees at intake units. The value of each lunch is £4.45, more expensive than the average Tesco meal deal.For the Croydon Unit, 75 sandwiches must be supplied weekly between February 2024 and January 2026. Options include Halal lunches, with 50 per cent chicken, 20 per cent egg and mayo, 25 per cent veggie/cheese and five per cent vegan selections.Similar sandwich deliveries were arranged for the Kent Intake Unit between January 2024 and 2025.Jonathan Eida, researcher at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, labelled the schemes as “bizarre”. He added: “Brits will be enraged that their money is going towards these contracts,”A Home Office spokesperson defended the spending, saying: “The government is required by law to provide support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.”They added that the government is “determined to ensure value for money in all future contracts.”New controls have been introduced “to minimise non-essential spending which were not in place when the majority of these contracts were signed under the previous government.”The spokesperson emphasised their commitment to “restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly.”They also pledged to “cut the costs of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels over time.”