The UK Home Office has issued an urgent appeal for 5,000 residential properties to house up to 20,000 asylum seekers, following a High Court ruling that could further disrupt current accommodation plans.
Asylum accommodation contractors began contacting property specialists earlier this month, seeking short-term leases for two-bedroom units that could accommodate around four migrants each.
The aim is to reduce government’s reliance on hotels, which continue to house over 32,000 asylum seekers despite Labour’s pledge to end hotel use for this purpose by the end of the current Parliament in 2029.
The push for alternative housing comes after Epping Forest District Council successfully obtained a temporary High Court injunction to shut down the Bell Hotel in Essex over planning issues. The hotel had become a flashpoint for local anti-immigration protests. The court ruling could inspire similar legal action from at least two dozen other councils, further straining the asylum system.
In response, ministers are exploring various alternatives, including purchasing or renting vacant homes, repurposing disused tower blocks, student accommodation, and old teacher-training colleges as mid-sized housing sites.
The new leases being sought would house asylum seekers for 90 days, with a possible 30-day extension.
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One such site already in use is the former RAF base in Wethersfield, Essex. The Home Office recently raised its capacity from 800 to 1,225 migrants. Residents were told at a meeting this week that the site currently houses 890 people, with 50 more arriving weekly.
Labour has kept Wethersfield open but scrapped two other major sites introduced by the previous Conservative government RAF Scampton and the Bibby Stockholm barge, both of which were intended to serve as alternatives to hotel accommodation.
The developments sparked criticism from Conservative shadow ministers.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp demanded assurances that migrants removed from the Bell Hotel would not be placed in accommodation needed by British citizens. He also urged Labour to hold an emergency Cabinet meeting to draft deportation plans for all illegal arrivals.
Meanwhile, Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick launched a campaign, Lawyers for Borders, to support councils in pursuing legal action against the use of hotels for asylum seekers. He called on patriotic councils and legal professionals to join the initiative to pressure the government into stricter immigration enforcement.
Home Office replies
A Home Office spokesperson responded: “this government has consistently said the use of hotels to house asylum seekers is neither sustainable nor suitable as a long-term approach. We remain committed to working with our partners to identify more suitable and cost-effective alternatives.”
