Asylum accommodation

Home Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 17 Dec 2024 Closed: 22 Jan 2026 Parliament page
The Home Office has a duty to provide housing and subsistence to asylum seekers who are awaiting a decision on their claim and are destitute. Asylum accommodation is primarily delivered by private providers through the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC). Home Office spending on asylum accommodation and support … Read more
22 Recommendations
24 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
6 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 18 events
22 Jan
2026
Report published
22 Jan
2026
Correspondence
11 Nov
2025
Correspondence
27 Oct
2025
Report published
14 Oct
2025
Correspondence
14 Oct
2025
Correspondence
1 Jul
2025
Oral evidence
1 Jul
2025
Correspondence
1 Jul
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
10 Jun
2025
Oral evidence
10 Jun
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
13 May
2025
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
1 Jul 2025
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Caroline O'Connor · Migrant Help Juliet Halstead · Migrant Help
10 Jun 2025
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Dame Angela Eagle DBE · Home Office Joanna Rowland CB · Home Office Simon Ridley · Home Office
13 May 2025
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Claudia Sturt · Serco UK & Europe Jason Burt · Mears Group Steve Lakey · Clearsprings Ready Homes
29 Apr 2025
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Alex Fraser · British Red Cross Councillor Peter Mason · Local Government Association Enver Solomon · Refugee Council Frances McMeeking · Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership Megan Smith · Deighton Pierce Glynn Natasha Beresford · Dacorum Borough Council Paul Dennett · Salford City Council
18 Mar 2025
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David Bolt · Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration Dr Lucy Mort · Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) Professor Jonathan Darling · Durham University Sachin Savur · Institute for Government
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report – The Home Office's management of asylum accommodation HC 580 27 Oct 2025 46 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
21 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The Home Office's man…
Prioritise closure of unsuitable asylum hotels causing harm and significant pressure on services.
When planning the closure of the hotels, the Home Office should prioritise the closure of manifestly unsuitable hotels—such as those in remote areas and near limited infrastructure—that cause the most harm to their residents and place the most pressure on … Read more
Government Response
The government committed to closing asylum hotels as soon as possible, with current usage reduced, and will coordinate closures with local partners considering various factors. However, it did not explicitly commit to developing a specific prioritisation process for the early closure of manifestly unsuitable hotels.
Home Office
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25 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The Home Office's man…
Address Migrant Help's AIRE contract performance or find alternative service delivery
The Home Office should take urgent action to address the performance of Migrant Help. If Migrant Help is unable to fulfil the Advice, Issue Reporting, and Eligibility (AIRE) contract to an acceptable standard, the Home Office should find an alternative … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges Migrant Help's contractual obligations and monitoring, stating improvements have been made and they are working closely with the provider; it also confirms it retains the right to consider alternative providers or delivery models if standards are not met, and is reviewing performance frameworks.
Home Office
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29 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The Home Office's man…
Significant safeguarding failings persist in asylum accommodation with inadequate oversight
We are deeply concerned by the volume of evidence indicating significant safeguarding failings in asylum accommodation. While there are evidently pockets of localised good practice, the response to safeguarding concerns is inconsistent and often inadequate, leaving vulnerable people at risk … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges safeguarding's importance, detailing a revised Safeguarding Framework (Aug 2025) and a Public Protection and Safeguarding Programme to improve oversight, but notes that contractual performance measures and auditing for financial penalties are currently 'under review for future development'.
Home Office
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30 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The Home Office's man…
Strengthen safeguarding framework, training, and oversight for asylum accommodation providers
We recommend that the Home Office strengthens its approach to safeguarding by: a. Ensuring that there is a robust framework for overseeing and auditing how safeguarding policies and processes are applied on the ground by contractors and subcontractors; b. Ensuring … Read more
Government Response
The Home Office updated its safeguarding framework in August 2025 and established a Public Protection and Safeguarding Programme to improve risk management and communication. However, specific elements like contractual performance measures and wider auditing are currently outside scope and remain under review for future development.
Home Office
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36 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The Home Office's man…
Develop strategy to achieve fairer asylum distribution and enhance local authority engagement and investment
We recommend that the Home Office set out the steps it will take to overcome barriers to the delivery of a fairer distribution of accommodation and improve engagement with local authorities on how best to address barriers to procurement. Local … Read more
Government Response
The Home Office states it already works with local authorities and Strategic Migration Partnerships to address procurement barriers and plans for future contracts to include stronger levers to direct providers. However, it does not specifically address consulting on price caps or investing in local housing.
Home Office
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44 Recommendation Accepted in Part
4th Report – The Home Office's man…
Set out and publish clear strategy for reducing asylum hotel use and delivering sustainable accommodation
We recommend that the Government set out a clear, credible strategy for how it will reduce the use of asylum hotels and deliver a sustainable system of asylum accommodation. This strategy should include a realistic timeframe and achievable milestones to … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need to exit hotels, reiterates its commitment to do so by the end of Parliament, and states it is reviewing its long-term accommodation strategy but will not publish specific timeframes or detailed plans for operational reasons.
Home Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 46 of 22 classified
Accepted 11
Accepted in Part 6
Acknowledged 12
Deferred 13
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 3
Total 22 recs + 24 conclusions
Correspondence 6 letters
22 Jan 2026 To committee Letter from Minister for Border Security relating to Stay Belvedere Hotels Ltd 15.01.2026
Parliament page
11 Nov 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for Border Security and Asylum regarding asylum accommodation 10.11.2025
Parliament page
14 Oct 2025 From the Minister for Border Security & Asylum relating to Asylum accommodation 08.10.2025
Parliament page
14 Oct 2025 From committee Letter to the Minister for Border Security and Asylum re asylum accommodation 01.07.2025
Parliament page
1 Jul 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for Border Security & Asylum on Asylum Accommodation following the evidence session on 10 June 25.06.2025
Parliament page
29 Apr 2025 To committee Letter from the Chief Executive of the Refugee Council on asylum accommodation 14.04.2025
Parliament page