Overview
- The Government has launched a £100 million pilot to fund councils to build or refurbish homes for asylum seekers, aiming to phase out hotel use.
- Around 200 local authorities have expressed interest, with Brighton and Hove, Hackney, Peterborough, Thanet and Powys reported as early participants.
- Funding is expected to yield roughly 900 properties that councils would lease to the Home Office before later adding them to social housing stock.
- Official data indicate about 36,000 asylum seekers are in hotels and around 71,000 are in private-sector dispersal housing.
- Public concern centers on long social housing waits, reported at 1.3 million people in England, while some council leaders argue bringing provision in-house would reduce profits for private contractors.