Calais migrants getting £150 taxis to London paid for by YOU after sneaking into Britain
MIGRANTS who have smuggled themselves into Britain from Calais are being sent to London in £150 taxis billed to the taxpayer, it has been revealed.
Cab drivers in Kent are being paid from the public purse to take migrants 70 miles away to temporary accommodation in the capital as local services are stretched to “breaking point”.
Shockingly, fares of £150 are "not unusual”, according to Kent county council – with one taxi driver claiming his firm has been asked to make about eight of the journeys in the past week.
Most of those taken by taxi are reportedly under 18, who are usually put into foster homes when arriving in Britain before claiming asylum.
The number of youngsters seeking asylum who are in the care of Kent county council has surged from 368 in March to a staggering 629 at the end of last week
A Kent county council spokesman told The Telegraph: "It has been necessary to transfer some by taxi, for which charges of up to £150 are not unusual, depending on distance.
"We are trying to keep these costs to a minimum and have negotiated better rates by entering into contracts with some firms. We hope to recoup these costs from central government."
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A Government spokesman added: "We have already committed to discussing reimbursing reasonable additional costs, but this is a matter for the council.”
Meanwhile, migrants who have smuggled themselves across the Channel are reportedly being housed in hotels at the taxpayer's expense.
Hundreds of stowaways are receiving three cooked meals a day in hotels boasting gyms and spas – along with £35 a week in spending money.
The Home Office pays private companies a staggering £150million to to find asylum seekers somewhere to stay.
It is understood that Serco would normally find places for them in the community – but has turned to hotels after the surge of migrants entering Britain in recent months.
The crisis is so severe that the country's six dedicated immigration centres are full, despite being built to house 1,200 people.
Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke said: "It is outrageous that asylum seekers are being put up in hotel rooms at public expense.
"It's this sort of soft touch that makes this country so attractive to migrants. The message should go out that they will be detained in disused military camps."
A Serco spokesman insisted the use of hotels was a short-term measure and did not cost taxpayers any extra.
She added: "We ensure that the asylum seekers always have full access to healthcare services during this time.
"Our priority is at all times to make sure that they are safe and secure and are treated with dignity and respect."
