The BBC investigation finds migrants allegedly coached to fake asylum claims in the UK, with advisers charging thousands, raising concerns over systemic abuse and prompting calls for a government crackdown.
Migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh are being coached to pretend to be gay to claim asylum in the UK, an undercover investigation by the BBC has found, according to a report by Press Trust of India.
The BBC said its reporters uncovered how migrants whose visas are due to expire are being given fake cover stories and instructed to create fabricated evidence to support asylum claims.
“They are then able to apply for asylum claiming to be gay and in fear for their lives if they return to Pakistan or Bangladesh,” the report said.
According to the investigation, immigration advisers are allegedly charging thousands of pounds to help migrants build false cases. The practice, the BBC said, shows how the system is being “systematically exploited by legal advisers extracting fees from migrants who want to stay in the country.”
The report noted that the UK asylum system is meant to protect people who face genuine danger. “The UK’s asylum process offers protection to people who can’t return to their home countries because they would be in danger in countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh where gay sex is illegal,” it said.
However, investigators found that some applicants were being guided to misuse these protections through staged narratives and fake documentation.
Undercover reporters posing as students from Pakistan and Bangladesh were allegedly advised on creating false identities, including fabricated political activities, medical conditions and sexual orientation claims.
The BBC said it identified multiple routes used to build bogus asylum applications – including claims based on sexuality, religion and political persecution.
The issue appears to be significant in scale. The report said individuals whose visas had expired now account for 35 per cent of asylum claims, which crossed 100,000 in 2025.
Official data cited in the report showed Pakistan accounted for the highest number of asylum claims based on sexual orientation in 2023, followed by Bangladesh. Nigeria, India and Uganda were also among the top countries.
The UK Home Office said it would act against abuse of the system. “Anyone found trying to exploit the system will face the full force of the law, including removal from the UK,” it said.
The findings have triggered political reactions. Labour MP Jo White called for a crackdown, saying, “It is absolutely essential that the government cracks down on them the police will begin their activity and break it apart.”
Opposition Conservative leader Chris Philp went further, saying: “The whole system is rotten. The asylum system must be totally overhauled only a very small number of people facing real personal persecution are given asylum.”
The BBC said its investigation is ongoing, suggesting further findings could emerge in the coming days.
