EU citizens and Americans are claiming asylum in Britain and receiving free housing at the taxpayers’ expense.

Home Office data obtained by a Conservative frontbencher revealed 225 migrants from European countries – including France, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Italy - and the United States were living in taxpayer-funded accommodation, including hotels, at the end of March.

A further 20 asylum seekers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Japan and other countries were also receiving free accommodation.

Allowances are also paid to asylum seekers at a rate of £49.19 a week per head if they are living in self-catering accommodation, or £9.95 a week if they are in full-board hotels.

Shadow minister for policy renewal and development Neil O’Brien, who uncovered the data, said: ‘There is no way you can credibly claim that the government of New Zealand or Sweden is a threat to your life.

‘Many people would be surprised we even entertain asylum claims from nationals of these countries, never mind give them taxpayer-funded asylum accommodation.

‘These people are basically economic migrants shopping around.

‘They are likely originally from third countries, but have already got nationality in very rich and safe countries and now want to come to the UK.’

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: ‘This is a disgraceful waste of taxpayers’ money.

‘The EU and USA are manifestly safe.

‘We should be immediately dismissing asylum claims from anyone coming from places like that and not spending a single penny of taxpayers' money on accommodating them.’

The Home Office said most asylum claims from such countries were rejected or withdrawn, and only three per cent were granted last year.

Many of the applicants base their claim on allegations of racial or religious discrimination.

Under current law the Home Office is required to provide accommodation for any asylum seekers who are ‘destitute’, but moves are afoot to make the hand-outs discretionary.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘Most asylum claims from these countries are rejected or withdrawn with just three per cent of applications granted asylum in the last year.

‘Asylum claims are assessed on individual merit and those found not to need protection will be refused.

‘The Government has already reduced the number of asylum seekers in asylum hotels by 35 per cent in the past year.

‘Overall asylum support costs are down by 15 per cent in the last financial year – helping reduce asylum support costs by nearly £1billion.’

There were 93,500 asylum claims lodged in Britain in the year to March, down from a record 106,000 in the previous 12 months but more than double pre-pandemic levels.