An ‘overwhelmed’ council is appealing for government help after hundreds of Chagos Islanders landed in their borough, leaving them with huge accommodation bills.
Keir Starmer handed control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in May after 161 years of British rule, in a deal that was heavily criticised for compromising the security of a military base that will remain on the islands.
Chagos Islanders hold UK passports, and many left the territory ahead of the deal claiming they face persecution.
More than 400 Chagossians have arrived at Heathrow Airport in the London Borough of Hillingdon over the past year, creating an unsustainable demand on local services, the council has said.
Between July 2024 and March 2025, the local authority claims supporting the British Chagossians cost them over £508,000, while estimating this annual figure will skyrocket to £1.2million as more arrivals continue to pile in.
More than 100 arrived in one single week during May, shortly after the Britain agreed to hand over the territory to Mauritius.
Many came with nowhere to stay and needing temporary accommodation, leaving the council fronting the bill for housing, prepaid cards, essentials as well as helping them to open bank accounts and apply for Universal Credit.
Chagos Islanders hold British passports meaning they can enter the UK but aren’t eligible for the same support as refugees or asylum seekers.
Hillingdon Council has urged the Government to ‘do the right thing’ after hundreds of Chagos Islanders landed in their borough, leaving them with huge accommodation bills (file photo)
Over 400 Chagossians arrived at Heathrow Airport, Hillingdon, in one single year, creating an unsustainable demand on local services, according to the local council
Hillingdon Council is calling for increased funding to cover the costs of new arrivals to ‘make things fairer for local taxpayers’.
Between 1967 and 1973, Chagos Islanders were evicted from the former British overseas territory so a joint UK-US military base could be created.
It was later brought into law that their direct descendants would be entitled to British citizenship.
As such, islanders who hold a British passport are entitled to the same benefits as ordinary citizens, including housing support.
This has put massive pressure on Hillingdon Council, who say the Government only covered the cost of supporting Chagossian arrivals in the first ten days.
‘It’s the government’s policy on the Chagos Islands which is creating this surge in people coming to Heathrow,’ Steve Tuckwell, the council’s cabinet member for planning, housing and growth told the BBC.
‘Heathrow’s in Hillingdon and that’s where the burden sits. So the government needs to do their bit to make it fairer for Hillingdon taxpayers.’
Many Chagos Islanders arrive with children, meaning the council have a legal duty to place them into accommodation as they are families with dependents, Mr Tuckwell said.
A person’s length of stay in temporary housing can be anywhere between six months and two years, depending on the availability of longer-term accommodation as well as individual circumstances, according to the borough’s website.
Pictured: British Chagossians demonstrating outside of the High Court in London where there was previously a bid to stop Parliament signing over the territory to Mauritius
Steve Tuckwell, the council’s cabinet member for planning, housing and growth has urged the Government ‘make things fairer for Hillingdon taxpayers’
An aerial view of the Chagos Islands, formerly a British territory located in the Indian Ocean
There are around 10,000 Chagossians worldwide, with most living in the Seychelles, Mauritius or the UK.
Many become displaced in Mauritius and continue to suffer from discrimination, stigma and poverty, a Human Right Watch report found.
The granddaughter of a displaced British Chagossian became emotional as she recalled her native country’s history as she landed in Heathrow.
‘My grandmother was a British Chagossian,’ Rebecca Philippe said. ‘Fifty years ago, she was uprooted from her island, and we have seen her suffering.
‘By seeing her suffering, we suffered too, with her. Unfortunately she is no longer with us. But we are here, not only for our rights but to honour her.’
Ms Philippe claimed she had to conceal her British Chagossian heritage in Mauritius, as anyone who criticised the country’s sovereignty risked time behind bars.
Recalling how ‘powerless’ she felt in Mauritius, she divulged her relief arriving in Britain as she no longer has to fear sharing her identity.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: ‘We are giving Hillingdon Council funding to support Chagossian arrivals where arrival numbers are creating immediate local pressures.
‘Government guidance is clear that people must make their own accommodation arrangements before they travel.’
MailOnline has approached Hillingdon Council for further comment.
