The Government has offered local authorities thousands of pounds of funding in an effort to transfer unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) from temporary hotels to long-term care.

Currently, the Government spends more than £5m a day accommodating asylum seekers and Afghan refugees in hotels.

In order to help councils move UASC into more suitable accommodation, the Government has offered support funding of £6,000 per child for the first three months.

Following this three-month period, councils will continue to receive up to £143 a day to support any unaccompanied children and £270 per week for all former UASC care leavers in their area.

Minister for safe and legal migration Kevin Foster: ‘The Government cannot deal with the impact of the rise in dangerous and illegal small boat crossings alone which is why I welcome the support from councils to help us reduce the cost of hotels and quickly move UASC so they receive the care they need.'