The UK government has announced plans to expand its use of military facilities to house asylum seekers, amid a decline in the number of hotels being used for this purpose. The move is part of a broader effort to bring asylum costs under control, with the Home Office aiming to save taxpayers £170 million this financial year.
According to the government, the number of hotels used for housing asylum seekers has more than halved since its peak of 400, with just under 170 currently active. The expansion of military facilities will allow for an additional 1,200 bedspaces for people awaiting a decision on their asylum claim, with the Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex being one of the sites affected.
The use of military sites has been criticized by some, with the Refugee Council arguing that the government could lower costs by housing people in communities and improving Home Office decision-making. The Council's Director of External Affairs Imran Hussein stated that the government's approach is "storing up problems for the next Prime Minister" by repeating policies that have failed in the past.
Asylum costs have fallen by almost £1 billion, with the total number of people claiming asylum in the UK down 12% compared to last year. However, the issue remains a contentious one, with Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp calling for the Labour government to "put illegal immigrants on a plane home" rather than relying on military camps and hotels.
