The UK Home Office is rolling out a new plan to house asylum seekers in disused care homes and vacant student accommodations, aiming to reduce a daily expenditure of £5.5 million on hotel stays. This initiative is part of the government’s effort to establish 800 alternative accommodation sites and address mounting criticism over the cost of asylum support.
Currently, around 35,000 asylum seekers are staying in hotels, down from a peak of over 50,000 last year. In the 2023–24 fiscal year, the Home Office allocated £4.7 billion to asylum support, with £3.1 billion spent solely on hotel accommodations. The high costs, averaging £150 per night per person, have spurred the government to seek more cost-effective solutions.
Challenges with Mass Accommodation Sites
Previous attempts to cut costs with mass accommodation sites, including former military bases like Napier Barracks in Folkestone and the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset, have faced significant setbacks. At a public accounts committee (PAC) meeting, Home Office officials admitted these large-scale facilities have not delivered the expected savings. Reports by the National Audit Office (NAO) criticized such projects, stating they offer poor value for money.
For example, the Bibby Stockholm barge was decanted, and the Northeye site in Bexhill-on-Sea, an asbestos-riddled former prison purchased for £15.4 million, remains unused. The site may now be sold or transferred to another government department.
Sir Matthew Rycroft, the Home Office’s permanent secretary, acknowledged that “a thousand lessons had been learned” from these failures.
New Approach to Asylum Accommodation
To address these issues, the Home Office plans to phase out the use of hotels and mass accommodation sites. Instead, the department is exploring alternative options, including vacant care homes and student housing. Data from a 2022 Freedom of Information request revealed 94 empty care homes across 46 local authorities in England, many awaiting refurbishment or repairs.
The Home Office is also hiring a £76,000-a-year New Sites Operational Post to oversee the transition to these alternative accommodations. The role will initially cover existing sites like Napier Barracks and Wethersfield but will expand as new sites are identified. The job description highlights collaboration with stakeholders to manage the transition to large sites and other accommodations.
Concerns Over Housing in Disused Facilities
The plan to use disused care homes and student blocks has raised concerns among human rights advocates. Lou Calvey, director of Asylum Matters, expressed alarm, saying, “People should be accommodated in our communities with a clear, developed support offer. Government needs to be working with communities, investing in them, to ensure places of welcome.”
The proposed sites have also been criticized for their suitability to house asylum seekers, many of whom are traumatized and have been waiting years for their claims to be processed.
Home Office Response
A Home Office spokesperson defended the move, stating, “We have inherited enormous pressures in the asylum system and remain absolutely committed to ending the use of hotels to ensure value for money. We have identified a range of sites that we are narrowing down to a handful of suitable properties that will enable us to exit hotels sooner.”
While the plan aims to save taxpayers millions, the government faces ongoing challenges in balancing cost efficiency with the humane treatment of asylum seekers.
