The Home Office’s Full Dispersal policy of placing asylum seekers across all UK regions has delivered just 60% of Whitehall’s target and ministers have asked councils to propose solutions.
A letter sent to council chiefs by immigration minister Robert Jenrick earlier this month revealed the mandatory Full Dispersal plan launched in March 2022 – designed to ease pressures on asylum hotspots such as London, Manchester and Kent – has been stymied by low take-up across some regions.
Mr Jenrick wrote: ‘As of 7 November 2023, we have currently achieved 60% of the national target that we set out in our plans, and therefore despite the progress to date, we must go considerably further.'
The letter explained the Home Office had established a Dispersed Accommodation Property Board and urged councils to suggest ways to free up more non-hotel accommodation to place a backlog of asylum seekers, estimated at 175,000 in August.
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