The Home Office has prohibited asylum seekers from purchasing a range of luxury items, including snowmobiles, timeshares and furs, using their state-issued pre-paid cash cards. The ban, which came into effect on 11 August 2025, also extends to armoured cars, boat rentals, antique reproductions and flowers, according to a Home Office document seen by the Guardian.
The restrictions apply to the Aspen card, on which asylum seekers living in hotels receive £9.95 per week, while those in self-catering accommodation get £49.18. Critics question how individuals on such minimal support could afford the banned goods. The Home Office said the move was a response to reports of misuse, including gambling on lottery tickets and scratchcards.
Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais, criticised the policy, saying, “This list demonstrates how out of touch politicians are with the realities of life for people seeking sanctuary in this country. People seeking asylum are receiving as little as £10 per week. They aren’t buying the ‘luxury items’ the Home Office is suggesting.” He described the policy as “morally abhorrent from a Labour government.”
The banned list, based on merchant category codes used by Visa and Mastercard, also includes basics such as audiobooks, toys, photocopying, and entry to fortune tellers, carnivals and aquariums. Care4Calais reported cases of asylum seekers being unable to pay library fines or for haircuts with their Aspen cards. The charity provides essentials like baby clothes, shoes and nappies to families living in acute poverty, with parents often unable to afford suitable food or warm clothing.
The Home Office stated that the restrictions are designed to “uphold the integrity of public assistance programmes” by ensuring funds support essential living needs. It acknowledged the blocks might prevent some essential purchases and said an investigation is underway to assess whether restricting individual merchants rather than whole categories would preserve access to necessary services. A spokesperson said, “Ministers recently ordered a review of the Aspen card system to investigate and address reports of misuse.”
