Home Office Expands Use of Military Sites for Asylum Seeker Accommodation

The Home Office is expanding the use of three military sites to accommodate asylum seekers, aiming to reduce reliance on hotels for temporary housing.

Three Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites in Bicester (Oxfordshire), Barnham (Suffolk), and Linton-on-Ouse (North Yorkshire) could potentially house approximately 3,750 asylum seekers if planning permissions are approved.

The government also intends to prolong the use of existing military facilities in Crowborough (East Sussex) until 2030 and Wethersfield (Essex) beyond 2027.

Labour has committed to halting the use of asylum hotels, a costly and contentious accommodation method that has sparked significant public opposition.

As of March, 20,885 (21%) asylum seekers were housed in hotels, while 72,768 (75%) occupied other forms of accommodation while awaiting decisions.

This figure represents a decline from a peak of 56,000 asylum seekers in hotels during September 2023.

On Thursday, the Home Office announced the closure of 20 additional asylum hotels, bringing the total number of operational hotels to 170.

Border security and asylum minister Alex Norris stated: “We are relocating asylum seekers to former military sites, which represent a significant improvement over the hotels left by the previous administration.

“This system is being restored to order – and we will not cease efforts until the task is fully completed.”

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticized Labour, arguing they “should be repatriating illegal immigrants by air rather than managing military camps and hotels.”

He claimed Labour “will not implement the necessary measures to facilitate deportation, and without deportation, there is no deterrent effect.”

Lib Dem MP Callum Miller, representing Bicester and Woodstock, opposed the deployment of a MoD site in his constituency, expressing concerns about capacity and community integration.

“We need clarity on how 1,250 asylum seekers can be accommodated in a community where the nearest village has only 370 residents… I lack confidence in the government’s capacity to manage this effectively,” Miller remarked.

The government announced plans last year to increase its reliance on military sites for asylum seeker housing.

Two former military locations—RAF Wethersfield in Essex and Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex—are already operational for this purpose.

However, local resistance and human rights concerns have complicated these initiatives.

This week, an MP announced the cancellation of a proposal to house up to 300 male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks in Inverness due to community protests.

The Red Cross highlighted that military barracks “are often located in remote areas and may exacerbate trauma for individuals fleeing conflict and persecution.”

“While hotel-based asylum accommodation is clearly problematic, any alternative must prioritize safety and dignity for those seeking refuge,” stated Sam Turner, British Red Cross director of migration and displacement.

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