More than £300,000 has been spent on 'befriending schemes' designed to foster relationships between local communities and asylum seekers and refugees. They are part of 200 government contracts for asylum seekers and refugees costing the taxpayer £6.6 billion, the Express can reveal.

Local councils across the UK awarded suppliers with costly contracts to deliver the initiatives over the past three years, with some "seeking ongoing funding".

Bristol City Council awarded a £211,200 contract to a supplier, funded by the Home Office, on providing a befriender for each refugee aged 18 and over who arrived in the city. This took place from January 2022-25, as part of various resettlement schemes.

Similarly, the London Borough of Newham awarded a £60,000 contract for the same program from April 2023-24.

In Newham, 'mentors' were assessed and assigned to each asylum seeker with the aim of promoting independence and confidence building. They provided support to access local activities which also included group trips to London Zoo, Kew Gardens and the Arsenal Stadium.

Workshops on illustration, design, finance and budgeting were held too. After hailing their programme a success, the London council said: "We will seek ongoing funding for the continuation of our work across London."

Hull City Council also spent £37,560 on 'befriending' from September 2022-2023 for Ukrainian Refugees to 'establish relationships' within the community.

A spokesman for Hull City Council said: "The contract offered using the Homes for Ukraine Scheme funding was awarded to Hull Churches Home from Hospital (HCHfH), a voluntary sector organisation which has a long track record offering support to people in our communities, including people from refugee backgrounds.

"HCHfH were commissioned to set up a Welcome Service, with a team that included Ukrainian refugees as paid staff.

"During the course of the project, which has now ended, they offered a range of services to both Ukrainian refugees and their hosts, acting as a signposting, advocacy and integration support service with issues such as access to housing, employment, health and wellbeing etc. The service was well regarded and valued by both the local authority and refugees and hosts living in the city."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The government is required by law to provide support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, but we are determined to ensure value for money in all future contracts, and have introduced new controls to minimise non-essential spending which were not in place when the majority of these contracts were signed under the previous government."Overall, we are determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly, and it remains our commitment to cut the costs of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels over time."