Government allocates £150m for new asylum accommodation centres

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 28 Oct, 16:21 · Archive

The Government will spend £150million on new large-scale asylum accommodation sites from 2027-28 to replace controversial asylum hotels.

The Government will spend £150million in 2027-28 to fund new large-scale asylum accommodation sites and close controversial asylum hotels, according to Treasury documents released following Chancellor John Healey's Budget statement. The money will be spent on setting up new bases rather than running costs. No details have yet been released on how many centres will be established or their locations.

Current sites have been set up on former Ministry of Defence bases including Wethersfield in Essex, which cost £49million and is set to expand from 800 to 1,245 beds. The Home Office has said its strategy of moving asylum seekers into alternative accommodation is 'saving taxpayers over £1billion on asylum support since the election'.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticised the announcement, stating it shows the Government has 'no intention whatsoever' of stopping illegal immigrants or deporting them. The spending has also drawn concern over potential new sites in rural areas, following intense local opposition to existing centres such as those at Wethersfield, Essex, and Crowborough, East Sussex. Last month residents of Piddington, Oxfordshire voted symbolically to leave the UK in protest at plans for a new asylum centre that would house 1,250 adult male asylum seekers.

How it is being reported

• Home Office gets £150million for more large-scale asylum centres, as Tories warn it shows Labour has 'no intention whatsoever' of stopping and deporting illegal immigrantsThe Treasury said the extra funds would allow the Home Office to carry on closing controversial asylum hotels.Daily Mail · 28 Oct, 16:05
• Labour to use £150MILLION of taxpayers' money to 'fund additional large sites to accommodate asylum seekers'The Government has announced plans to use £150million of taxpayers’ money to "fund additional large sites to accommodate asylum seekers". Following Chancellor John Healey's Budget statement, it was revealed that Labour is set to "facilitate the Government's commitment" to "ending asylum hotels". In the Treasury red book, it says: "The Government is providing £150million capital investment in 2027-2028 to fund additional large sites to accommodate asylum seekers and facilitate the Government's commitment to end the use of asylum hotels." MORE TO FOLLOW... TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say…GB News · 28 Oct, 14:12

In this story: Labour · John Healey · Chris Philp · Home Office · Wethersfield · Piddington · Crowborough

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