Overview
- BBC undercover reporting shows consultants and some lawyers coaching migrants to say they are gay and offering staged witnesses, photos and letters to support false asylum claims for thousands of pounds.
- Advisers were filmed steering reporters to events in east London to generate ‘evidence,’ and they quoted fees from about £1,500 to £7,000 with extra charges for forged photos and medical notes.
- The Home Office said anyone abusing the system will face the full force of the law, including possible removal, and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood pledged to punish fraudulent lawyers and refuse such claims.
- Politicians demanded tougher action, with Labour’s Jo White urging a hard crackdown, Conservative Chris Philp calling the system “rotten,” and Nigel Farage proposing a new strict‑liability offense carrying up to two years in prison.
- The true scale is unclear, though reporting cites 2023 data of 3,430 first decisions in LGBT cases and nearly 1,400 new claims, with Pakistani nationals making a large share, and advocates warn fakes will make it harder for genuine LGBTQ refugees to be believed.