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4mo ago

UK Government Expands Private Housing for Asylum Seekers Amid Record Channel Crossings

The Home Office, through Serco, offers landlords five-year guaranteed rent deals to reduce reliance on costly hotels, drawing criticism over housing market pressures.

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A view of the scene outside the Comfort Inn hotel on Belgrave Road in Pimlico, central London, where the Home Office have reportedly asked a group of refugees to be accommodated four to a room. Around 40 refugees were placed in the borough on Wednesday night "without appropriate accommodation or support available" and no prior communication with Westminster Council, the local authority. Picture date: Friday June 2, 2023. (Photo by James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The UK Home Office has launched a drive for private landlords to house asylum seekers under five-year guaranteed rent agreements managed by contractor Serco.
  • This initiative aims to reduce the £5.5 million daily cost of housing 38,000 asylum seekers in hotels, with private housing costing as little as £14 per night.
  • Channel migrant crossings have surged, with 9,638 arrivals so far in 2025—a 44.5% increase compared to the same period last year.
  • Critics, including MPs and councils, argue that the scheme exacerbates housing shortages, affecting British renters and pushing up rental costs in affected regions.
  • The government defends the plan as a statutory and cost-saving measure, paired with accelerated asylum decisions and the removal of over 24,000 individuals with no right to remain in the UK.