The Home Affairs Committee has launched a new inquiry into asylum
accommodation.
There is a legal duty on the Home Office to provide accommodation
and subsistence support to people claiming asylum while their
claim is assessed. Accommodation has been provided at a range of
sites, including large sites and local housing, but a significant
increase in demand over recent years has led to a greater use of
temporary hotel spaces. Accommodation is delivered by private
providers and spending on accommodation and support has grown
significantly, from £739 million in 2019-20 to £4.7 billion in
2023-24.
Following the general election, the Government pledged to end the
use of hotels and reduce spending on asylum accommodation. The
Government has announced a shift away from the use of the large
sites, cancelling the planned site at RAF Scampton and ending the
use of the Bibby Stockholm barge for housing asylum seekers.
In this inquiry, the Home Affairs Committee will examine how
asylum accommodation is currently delivered, and what lessons can
be learned and applied to the Government's future strategy on
asylum accommodation. It will examine whether the contracts for
providing asylum accommodation are delivered effectively, and how
the Home Office works with local partners.
Launching the inquiry, Dame said:
“The Government has made reforming the asylum accommodation
system and ending the use of asylum hotels a key pledge. We want
to scrutinise how the Home Office and its providers are currently
delivering asylum accommodation, what needs to change and what
lessons can be learned as the Government seeks to reset its
approach.
“We also want to explore how the current approach to delivering
asylum accommodation has affected local services, particularly
local authorities, and how the Home Office has worked with local
partners to address challenges in delivering
accommodation.”
Terms of reference
The Home Affairs Committee invites written submissions on the
following issues. The deadline for written submissions is Monday
3 February. To find out more information about submitting
evidence please visit the asylum accommodation inquiry
page.
The delivery of asylum accommodation
· The Home Office's use and
management of asylum accommodation contracts, including in
response to growing demand and changing needs
· The performance of
providers delivering the current contracts on:
o Identifying and
delivering appropriate accommodation
o Engaging and working
with stakeholders
o Safeguarding and
supporting the welfare of people in asylum
accommodation
o Managing and sharing
data
· How the Home Office works
with other Government departments and local authorities on
housing supply issues
The impact of current arrangements for asylum
accommodation on local areas
· The Home Office's approach
to the distribution of asylum accommodation at a regional and
local level
· The Home Office's
engagement and joint working with local authorities, local health
services, NGOs and other local partners
· The impact of the current
approach to delivering asylum accommodation on local
services
· The Home Office's approach
to working with local partners to support people who have been
granted refugee status and are leaving asylum accommodation
