A race relations chief has slammed a Government minister for "playing the race card" after an apparent £20,000 benefit payment to an asylum seeker.

Gravesham MP Chris Pond, also minister for work and pensions, is threatening policy changes after a national newspaper reported a Gravesend-based Kosovan man getting the payment.

The man apparently received the amount because his asylum claim took four years to process and income support payments were backdated after he was granted refugee status.

Director of independent race relations' charity North West Kent Racial Equality Council, Dev Sharma, says asylum seekers are an easy target.

He said: "This man was probably fleeing persecution and suffering because his claim has been granted. He is most likely destitute and the fuss is just being kicked up because he's an asylum seeker.

"These issues should not be used as a political football and it looks like playing the race card. Whipping up this storm does nothing to improve race relations."

But Mr Pond insists his constituents would be concerned about such a payment.

He said: "Although I cannot comment on individual cases, it seems having been given asylum status this man was granted backdated income support.

"Officials are now looking into whether this was correct and if any such loophole can be closed. It was never intended that people granted asylum could draw on public funds in this way."

Mr Pond says Britain is only required to meet asylum seekers' basic needs while their claims are being processed.

He said: "There is no intention to play the race card but we have good inter-community relations in Gravesend and any anger against asylum seekers could be inflamed by this.

"Many will be angry about someone being able to collect this amount of money."

The Home Office told News Shopper it does not comment on individual asylum cases.