asylum | LocalGov


Asylum hotel contingency plan activated 27/03/2025 The Home Office has activated contingency plans following the axing of an asylum hotel contractor.
Lack of asylum funding snag for reorganisation 20/02/2025 Funding for asylum seeker support has emerged as a sticking point in Kent's reorganisation plans.
Home Office spent almost £100m on failed asylum sites 05/02/2025 A ‘dysfunctional’ culture at the Home Office meant key controls were abandoned in the procurement of failed asylum sites that cost almost £100m, according to a scathing new report.
Home Office doubles time for new refugees to find home 06/12/2024 The Home Office will temporarily give new refugees more time to move on from asylum accommodation, in a move it is hoped will reduce pressure on councils’ homelessness services.
Asylum hotel use may increase as small boat crossings continue 11/09/2024 Asylum hotels are expected to remain open for months, with the Home Office privately suggesting they will be required for longer than originally planned, The MJ understands.
LGA calls for longer asylum move-on time 11/09/2024 Councils have called for people to be allowed more time to leave Home Office accommodation after receiving an asylum decision.
Controversial plans to build asylum site at RAF Scampton axed 06/09/2024 RAF Scampton will no longer be used to house asylum seekers, according to the local authority.
Call for council role in asylum housing 29/08/2024 A call has been made for a more prominent role for local government in asylum accommodation.
Council leader: Attack on asylum hotel ‘confirms worst fears’ about disorder 05/08/2024 The leader of Rotherham council said an attempt to set fire to a hotel housing asylum seekers had ‘confirmed our worst fears’ about the nature of recent disorder across the country.
Lone asylum-seeking child arrivals to Kent up 87% 15/07/2024 The number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking (UAS) children arriving in the UK along Kent’s shoreline has risen by 87%.
Rough sleeping in London hits new record high 27/06/2024 The final year of a Conservative government that pledged to end rough sleeping saw a record number of people sleeping on the streets of London.
Party leaders urged to act on migrant homelessness 25/06/2024 More than 100 homelessness and migrants’ rights organisations have called on the next government to stop the asylum system ‘driving people needlessly’ into destitution.
Inquiry call over asylum hotel use 17/06/2024 A charity has called for a statutory independent inquiry into the use of hotels for unaccompanied asylum seeking (UAS) children.
EXCLUSIVE: Full dispersal asylum targets still in draft 12/06/2024 Ministers have not signed off the Government’s 2024 targets for identifying an extra 100,000 bedspaces for asylum seekers this year, The MJ can reveal.
Judge: Kent cannot wriggle out of asylum duties 05/06/2024 Kent CC has been told by a judge it cannot wriggle out of its duties to ‘accommodate and look after’ all unaccompanied asylum seeking (UAS) children.
Braintree withdraws legal challenge over asylum site 31/05/2024 Braintree District Council has withdrawn a legal challenge over the Government's use of former airfield RAF Wethersfield to house asylum seekers.
Ending asylum hotel use could put ‘unacceptable pressure’ on councils 29/05/2024 MPs have raised concerns that the Government has not engaged effectively with councils about the impact of its asylum policies on local areas.
Agreement reached over asylum site 29/05/2024 West Lindsey District Council is set to launch a £300m regeneration scheme at RAF Scampton after the Home Office agreed to accommodate fewer asylum seekers at the site.
Government digs in over asylum housing target 29/05/2024 Home Office has doubled down on council concerns over asylum targets and insisted Full Dispersal can ‘strike balance between equity and housing availability’.
EXCLUSIVE: Councils given 100,000 asylum housing target 21/05/2024 Councils have been told to identify an extra 100,000 bedspaces for asylum seekers amid Home Office expectations of a surge in arrivals, The MJ can reveal.
Asylum seekers moved from RAF Wethersfield due to incomplete safety checks 18/04/2024 The Home Office has moved 70 people away from an asylum accommodation site after it failed to complete necessary safety checks on time.
EXCLUSIVE: Demand surges for UASC age assessments 12/04/2024 Councils are struggling to cope with demand for age assessments of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) as record numbers arrive once again in Kent.
Aslyum centre site could host prison 25/03/2024 Braintree DC has warned it faces intervention from a second Government department when the Home Office ends its use of a former airfield as an asylum centre.
Hopes for regen scheme revived after Home Office scales back asylum plan 20/03/2024 A £300m council-led regeneration scheme threatened when Whitehall commandeered the site for asylum accommodation could now go ahead.
Craig's call for asylum change 07/03/2024 Manchester City Council’s leader has urged Whitehall to implement ‘simple changes’ to asylum policy to ease huge pressures on major urban centres.
Home Office 'chaos' leaves thousands of illegal arrivals in 'perma-backlog' 27/02/2024 The Government’s struggling asylum policy has heaped significant demand on cities’ housing services, experts have warned.
New legal bid as long-term asylum site plans confirmed 02/02/2024 West Lindsey DC has launched a fresh legal challenge after the Home Office confirmed its intention to use RAF Scampton to house asylum seekers.
Council slams ‘lack of transparency’ over RAF Wethersfield extension 31/01/2024 Braintree District Council has criticised the Home Office after its plans emerged to extend the use of a former airfield for asylum accommodation by three years.
Council confirms asylum centre appeal 21/12/2023 West Lindsey DC is to appeal against the dismissal of its judicial review over the Home Office’s asylum centre plans.
Barge death concerns 18/12/2023 Concerns over conditions inside some asylum accommodation intensified last week, after the death of an asylum seeker onboard the Bibby Stockholm barge.
Boroughs have ‘nothing to offer’ as refugee homelessness rises 07/12/2023 New research has found that an increasing number of refugees are rough sleeping in London after leaving Home Office accommodation.
Damning reality of asylum 05/12/2023 A shocking public health report by Hounslow LBC exposes bleak conditions as councils urge Home Office and contractors to improve.
Home Office admits 'more we can and need to do' 30/11/2023 More needs to be done to share data and improve communications with councils, Home Office mandarins have admitted.
Home Secretary acted ‘irrationally’ over National Transfer Scheme 29/11/2023 The Home Secretary’s powers have been exercised ‘irrationally’ when it comes to the decision-making process in relation to the National Transfer Scheme (NTS), the High Court has ruled.
Thousands of refugees face homelessness at Christmas, LGA warns 29/11/2023 The Government’s push to clear the asylum backlog is putting ‘tens of thousands’ of refugees at risk of homelessness over Christmas, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
EXCLUSIVE: Asylum seeker dispersal only reaches 60% mark 23/11/2023 The Home Office’s Full Dispersal policy of placing asylum seekers across all UK regions has delivered just 60% of Whitehall’s target.
Councillors urge Government to respect Rwanda ruling 16/11/2023 Nearly 130 councillors have urged the Government to respect the Supreme Court’s ruling on its controversial plans to send people seeking asylum to Rwanda.
Councils brace as Supreme Court outlaws Rwanda asylum plan 15/11/2023 The Supreme Court has ruled the UK’s controversial proposal to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful – a decision likely to impact local government.
Housing minister among casualties of Sunak reshuffle 13/11/2023 The UK will have its 16th housing minister in 12 years after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s sweeping reshuffle affected the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
‘Tragic and shameful’ rough sleeping increase in London 01/11/2023 City Hall had told the Government it must act to avoid ‘spiralling’ homelessness this winter after new data showed rising rough sleeping across the capital.
Temporary accommodation costs mount to £1.74bn 27/10/2023 English councils spent £1.74bn on temporary accommodation last year, research has found as more than 100 local authorities signed up to an ‘emergency’ housing summit.
Home Office 'failing to engage' councils 26/10/2023 The Home Office is ‘failing to engage meaningfully with local authorities’ on asylum, according to a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report published today.
Homelessness fears over asylum fast-tracking 26/10/2023 The largest city councils in England and Scotland fear that Government plans to speed up asylum decisions will result in thousands of people facing homelessness.
LGA: involve councils in asylum hotel decisions 25/10/2023 Councils want an active role in decisions about ending hotel use for asylum seekers, local government bosses have said.
EXCLUSIVE: Home Office accused of misleading council over asylum plans 24/10/2023 The Home Office faces accusations in the High Court it misled a council over controversial plans for an asylum centre at a former military base.
Council bosses raise concerns over refugee cap 23/10/2023 The Local Government Association (LGA) has raised concerns about plans to introduce a national cap on refugees that is informed by consultation with local authorities.
Asylum seekers to be returned to Bibby Stockholm 11/10/2023 Asylum seekers are being notified that they will be sent back to a migrant barge, which was closed after legionella bacteria was detected.
‘For-profit’ asylum housing system must end, charity says 11/10/2023 Responsibility for asylum accommodation must be returned to local authorities from private companies, the charity Refugee Action has said.
Home Office ditches Stradey Park asylum plans 10/10/2023 The Home Office has withdrawn its controversial plans to house asylum seekers at the Stradey Park Hotel in Furnace, Llanelli.
EXCLUSIVE: Council warning over asylum communication 03/10/2023 ‘Limited’ Home Office communication over asylum – including poor data sharing - continues to stymie efforts to resolve accommodation problems, councils warn.
Further stop notice at RAF Scampton 25/09/2023 West Lindsey District Council has again told the Home Office to cease work at RAF Scampton.
Cash injection for Kent as councils drag feet on National Transfer Scheme 18/09/2023 Government has given Kent £10m for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children amid concerns other councils have been slow to support the National Transfer Scheme.
Council halts Home Office work on RAF Scampton 08/09/2023 West Lindsey District Council has ordered the Home Office to stop work to convert a former military base into accommodation for asylum seekers.
Pressure mounts on councils amid refugee homelessness warning 06/09/2023 Refugees are being told to move out of asylum support housing at short notice, adding to pressure faced by council homelessness services, 140 groups warn.
Kent ‘once again’ cannot meet UAS children duties 29/08/2023 ‘Ever-escalating’ arrivals of asylum seekers and a ‘wholly inadequate’ National Transfer Scheme (NTS) have left Kent unable to meet its statutory duties in caring for children, the county council has warned.
EXCLUSIVE: Questions over child age assessments 25/08/2023 Council directors have raised doubts over Government plans to take over age assessments of unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
Asylum ‘perma-backlog’ to impact councils 22/08/2023 Reforms to the UK’s asylum system are likely to pile more pressure on councils struggling to support unaccompanied children, a new report has found.
Approach to accommodating Afghan families ‘unacceptable’ 15/08/2023 The approach to finding accommodation for Afghan families has been ‘unacceptable’ and represents a failure to ‘live up to Britain's values’, says think tank.
Local mayor plans Bibby Stockholm legal challenge 09/08/2023 The Mayor of Portland is planning on launching a legal challenge against the Home Office over the use of the Bibby Stockholm barge to house asylum seekers.
Glasgow refuses permission for asylum barge 08/08/2023 The leader of Glasgow City Council has told the Government that the local authority would not give its consent to dock a barge for asylum seekers in the city.
LGA: Councils already seeing homeless Afghan families 07/08/2023 Councils are already seeing Afghan families presenting as homeless due to the Government’s policy of moving them out of hotels, local authority leaders say.
Firefighters warn Braverman over asylum barge safety 03/08/2023 The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has written to Suella Braverman about fire safety concerns in accommodation for asylum seekers, including the Bibby Stockholm.
‘Systematic’ housing of child refugees in hotels unlawful 27/07/2023 Kent County Council has acted unlawfully by failing to accommodate and look after all unaccompanied children seeking asylum, the High Court has ruled.
First asylum barge arrives 18/07/2023 A controversial barge for 500 asylum seekers today arrived at its mooring off the Dorset coast.
Dismay at 'top-down diktat' approach to asylum 11/07/2023 Councils and MPs this week expressed dismay at the Home Office’s ‘top-down diktat’ plan to double asylum seeker numbers at many hotels.
Council loses legal bid over asylum hotel plans 10/07/2023 Carmarthenshire CC has been unsuccessful in its application for an interim injunction to prevent asylum seekers being housed at a hotel in Llanelli.
Council launches legal action over hotel due to house asylum seekers 07/07/2023 Carmarthenshire County Council (CCC) is taking legal action over plans to use a hotel in Llanelli to house asylum seekers.
Kent launches legal action over asylum-seeking children 06/07/2023 Kent has issued a claim for judicial review against the home secretary, asking her to direct other councils to receive 'fair share’ of refugee children.
'Not acceptable' to treat age disputed young people as spontaneous arrivals 06/07/2023 It is ‘not acceptable’ that age disputed young people from asylum hotels are treated as spontaneous arrivals, says head of directors of children’s services.
Afghan families face homelessness as councils at ‘crisis point’ 04/07/2023 Afghan families are at risk of becoming homeless due to the acute housing shortage, council chiefs warn at the start of the LGA's annual conference.
Planning inspector green lights Stafford asylum centre 26/06/2023 A Government planning inspector has overruled the local planning authority and given the go-ahead for an asylum seekers centre in Stafford.
Council loses asylum appeal 26/06/2023 Braintree DC has lost its appeal against Government plans to house asylum seekers on a former airfield.
Manchester leaders call for urgent action on asylum seeker hotels 22/06/2023 Manchester leaders call for urgent action on asylum seeker hotels
Asylum issues damaging Home Office relations with councils 16/06/2023 The Home Office is ‘failing to work effectively with local authorities’ in clearing its asylum backlog, the National Audit Office (NAO) has concluded.
Plan to house asylum seekers on ship scrapped 12/06/2023 The latest plan for a cruise ship to house asylum seekers has been scrapped after it was turned down by the port operator.
Council chiefs call for ‘urgent solutions’ to refugee homelessness 09/06/2023 Local authority leaders have called for ‘urgent solutions’ to the issue of refugees being forced to present as homeless.
Aslyum barges plan branded ‘cruel and unworkable’ 08/06/2023 A council leader has attacked plans to house asylum seekers on barges in ports.
Housing experts voice ‘concern’ over HMO licensing changes 25/05/2023 Housing and refugee rights experts have voiced ‘extreme concern’ over plans to remove licensing requirements for HMOs used as asylum accommodation.
Braintree DC plans to appeal court’s airfield decision 12/05/2023 Braintree District Council is to continue with legal action to try and stop an airfield being used to house hundreds of asylum seekers.
Welsh village opposes plans to house refugees in hotel 09/05/2023 Villagers in Wales have vowed to fight plans for 400 asylum seekers to be lodged in a former hotel.
Council has ‘unanswered questions’ about refugee barge 04/05/2023 Dorset Council and police have criticised the Home Office for not answering key questions about plans to house asylum seekers on a barge in Portland Port.
Hundreds of refugees wrongly classified as adults, FoI reveals 25/04/2023 Hundreds of young refugees are being wrongly classified as adults by the Home Office, according to new research based on information provided by councils.
Refugees housed in hotels face ‘atmosphere of cruelty’, report says 24/04/2023 Campaigners have called on the Government to allocate councils with more funds to help them provide better services to asylum seekers housed in London hotels.
Councils concerned over Afghan removal plan 12/04/2023 Councils have expressed deep concerns about Government plans to remove Afghan refugees from hotel accommodation amid ‘chronic’ shortage of affordable housing.
Plan to house refugees on former RAF base on hold 11/04/2023 The Government’s plan to house asylum seekers on a former RAF airbase has been put on hold after Braintree council sought an injunction to stop the move.
Portland mayor criticises refugee barge plan 06/04/2023 Portland mayor Pete Roper has criticised the Government’s plan to house refugees on a barge off the Dorset coast because of the pressure on local services.
Plan to house refugees on a barge criticised 04/04/2023 The Government is facing fierce opposition to plans to use a barge off the Dorset coast to house asylum seekers.
Councils criticise plans to house refugees on RAF bases 30/03/2023 Unused military sites will be used to house asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally on small boats despite local opposition, the Government has confirmed.
Gary Lineker twitter row ‘fuss about nothing’, says mayor 13/03/2023 Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen calls for Gary Lineker to be reinstated on Match of the Day and tells everyone to ‘grow up’.
Change policy on housing asylum seekers in hotels, council chiefs say 13/03/2023 Two-thirds of London’s councils have called on the home secretary to change the Government’s policy on housing asylum seekers in hotels.
Plans to house asylum seekers in a Pontins park abandoned 03/02/2023 The Government has decided not to continue with its plans to house asylum seekers in a Pontins Holiday Park on Merseyside, according to the local council.
Council calls for review into missing children 30/01/2023 Brighton & Hove City Council has called for a safeguarding review after dozens of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children went missing from a hotel in the city.
Councillors call for end to outsourcing asylum accommodation 30/01/2023 Local councillors from across the UK have called on the Government to stop outsourcing asylum accommodation to for-profit companies.
Councils flooded with ‘bogus’ refugee sponsorship offers 10/01/2023 Local authorities in London are struggling to cope with the amount of bogus Ukraine refugee sponsorship offers they receive, a migrants’ charity has warned.
East Lindsey due for court battle 06/01/2023 East Lindsey DC is threatening to become the latest council to take legal action over the use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers.
Two more councils seek injunctions over use of hotels to house asylum seekers 09/11/2022 Two more councils have taken legal action to stop local hotels from being used to house asylum seekers.
Council writs fly over asylum crisis 01/11/2022 Growing numbers of councils are securing injunctions preventing the use of hotels to house asylum seekers as ministers struggle to deal with an increasing backlog.
222 children ‘missing’ from care 24/10/2022 An estimated 222 unaccompanied children are currently missing from the care of the Home Office, new figures have revealed.
Council to pay £1000 to those hosting Ukrainian guests 21/10/2022 Kent CC has announced it is increasing payments to those hosting Ukrainian guests to ensure that they can continue to host with the squeeze on budgets.
Linton-on-Ouse asylum centre plans dropped 17/10/2022 Hambleton District Council has welcomed confirmation that plans for a new asylum reception centre will be scrapped.