The Home Office is pursuing a strategy to utilize three additional Ministry of Defence properties to provide accommodation for thousands of asylum seekers, aiming to shift individuals out of temporary hotel lodgings. Sites identified in Bicester, Oxfordshire; Barnham, Suffolk; and Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire, have the potential to host approximately 3,750 people, contingent upon receiving planning approval. Furthermore, officials are exploring the extension of existing housing operations at military locations in Crowborough, East Sussex, and Wethersfield, Essex.
While the current Labour administration seeks to eliminate the use of costly hotels, Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticized the move, arguing that the government should prioritize deportations over expanding camp infrastructure. Currently, there are 170 hotels in use, down from a peak of 56,000 residents in late 2023. Recent data shows over 20,000 asylum seekers remain in hotel-based housing.
Critics, including local residents and the Red Cross, have raised concerns regarding the suitability of military facilities, citing risks of retraumatization and geographic isolation. Meanwhile, the government is preparing to introduce the Immigration and Asylum Bill next week, which seeks to expedite the removal of individuals who are denied asylum. This legislative push comes as the Home Office continues to navigate the financial burden of the previous system, which cost taxpayers £2.1 billion during the 2024-2025 period.
