Recommendations & Conclusions
46 items
1
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
Instead of acting as a short-term contingency measure, the use of hotels has become a widespread and embedded part of the asylum accommodation system, increasing the cost of the asylum accommodation contracts by billions of pounds beyond the original forecast. This is the result of a series of failures by …
Government response. The Home Office recognizes past failures and commits to exiting asylum hotels as soon as possible by progressing alternative accommodation, using sites like former military bases, and increasing Dispersal Accommodation, noting a significant reduction in hotel use already. They also …
Home Office
2
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
We recommend that the Home Office sets out plans for an asylum accommodation system that can flexibly respond to changing demand, whilst minimising potential costs to the taxpayer. In the short term, the Home Office should identify and implement any possible action it can take to direct and incentivise providers …
Government response. The government's response focuses on strengthening its internal contract management capabilities, including investing in capacity, training, and accountability frameworks, and commissioning an independent review of these arrangements, rather than setting out plans for a flexible asylum accommodation system, specific incentives …
Home Office
3
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
We are persuaded by the evidence we have heard that, in the last Parliament, the Home Office focused on pursuing high-risk, poorly planned policy solutions and lost sight of the day-to-day work of effectively managing the asylum accommodation contracts. Failures of leadership at a senior level, shifting priorities, and political …
Government response. The government states it has significantly strengthened its approach to assuring Key Performance Indicator (KPI) data, applying service credits, and improving contract management oversight over the past year, recovering £74 million. It commits to continuing to strengthen transparency and oversight …
Home Office
4
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
The Home Office was warned repeatedly that it needed to ensure it had adequate commercial and contract management capacity, but did not learn this lesson. Failure to do so left it unprepared to respond to the surge in demand for asylum accommodation. The department’s failure to recognise early on that …
Government response. The government responded by addressing the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration's access to contract information, stating current access is supervised and protocols are being updated, rather than detailing plans for enhancing its own commercial and contract management capability. …
Home Office
5
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
The Home Office should set out plans for enhancing and maintaining its commercial and contract management capability, to ensure that it has the skills and resources necessary to effectively manage the delivery of the contracts and control the costs of asylum accommodation. This essential capability should be embedded as a …
Government response. The government committed to finalising robust amendments to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for service providers by February 2026, and to incorporating enhanced KPI frameworks into future asylum accommodation contracts. However, this response did not detail plans for enhancing the Home …
Home Office
6
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
The Home Office has neglected the oversight and assurance of performance of providers delivering multi-billion pound contracts. The department has been over-reliant on self-reporting of performance by providers and failed to invest in the assurance capacity necessary to properly monitor performance. As a result, the Home Office has not been …
Government response. The government is devising and implementing a subcontractor assurance framework to identify and rectify issues within supply chains, ensuring providers conduct due diligence and strengthening supply-chain visibility for the Home Office. It also reported that 93% of identified excess profits …
Home Office
7
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
The Home Office has not taken a sufficiently robust approach to applying financial penalties for poor performance by providers. These have been applied late, if at all, with no explanation of why maximum penalties haven’t been applied. The Home Office does not financially penalise providers for performance failures at hotels, …
Government response. The government outlined the profit share mechanism in its contracts, reporting that £45.9 million has been received from providers to date, with a further £3.7 million under discussion. It states the outcome of the annual profit-share audit will be reported …
Home Office
8
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
The Home Office should establish a clear process for routinely assuring KPI data submitted by asylum accommodation providers and applying service credits where providers fail to meet the terms of the contract. There should be a clear and transparent framework for decisions about when service credits are applied in full, …
Government response. The government committed to introducing a more rigorous profit-share methodology in future asylum contracts, with work already underway to incorporate these provisions into upcoming procurements to reinforce accountability and drive sustainable commercial outcomes.
Home Office
9
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
The work of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) provides essential scrutiny of the delivery of asylum accommodation. The work of the ICIBI does not reduce the need for systematic assurance, but in the absence of adequate oversight by the Home Office, the role of the ICIBI …
Government response. The government responded by detailing its plan to close asylum hotels by the end of the Parliament, stating it has already reduced hotel use and is exploring large sites, rather than addressing the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration's …
Home Office
10
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration should be given access to commercial contracts so they can be properly scrutinised. The legislation underpinning the Inspector’s role should be amended if necessary to achieve this. (Recommendation, Paragraph 56) 97
Government response. The government responded by outlining contractual obligations for providers to notify asylum seekers of accommodation moves with at least five days' notice, and the provision of induction booklets and Migrant Help access, rather than addressing the Independent Chief Inspector of …
Home Office
11
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
The failings in the current performance management regime mean that the Home Office is not able to properly hold its providers to account. The Home Office has had more than enough time to identify and address the deficiencies in the current Key Performance Indicator framework. Given the increased public prominence …
Government response. The government outlined Migrant Help's contractual responsibilities and performance standards under the AIRE contract, noting ongoing improvements but also stating the Home Office is currently reviewing performance frameworks and contract scope. It reserves the right to consider alternative providers if …
Home Office
12
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
The Home Office should, as a matter of urgency, agree new KPIs with contract providers. In future the KPI regime should be reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains appropriate and relevant. (Recommendation, Paragraph 58) Oversight of subcontractors
Government response. The government responded by outlining the complexities of the current AIRE service delivery model and stating it is currently reviewing performance frameworks and contract scope, as well as examining alternative approaches for future AIRE service provision. It did not commit …
Home Office
13
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
Stay Belvedere Hotels Ltd was operating as a major subcontractor from 2019 onwards, but the Home Office only became aware of issues with the company within the last year. It was only after these issues came to light that the Home Office identified that Clearsprings had not been providing an …
Government response. The Home Office updated its Safeguarding Framework in August 2025 and established a new Safeguarding and Public Protection Programme. However, it states that specific contractual performance measures and wider auditing for subcontractors are outside the current scope of work and …
Home Office
14
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
We recommend that the Home Office reports back to us in its response to this report on the outcome of its audit of asylum accommodation subcontractors and implements a clear process for how it will regularly review significant subcontractors. It should also increase transparency about which companies are responsible for …
Government response. The government's response deflects the recommendation by focusing entirely on policies for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) and age assessment processes, rather than addressing subcontractor audits, transparency, or the termination of Stay Belvedere Hotels Ltd.
Home Office
15
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
It is extremely disappointing that the Home Office only appears to have started the process for recouping excess profits from accommodation providers in 2024. Accommodation providers told us they had tens of millions waiting to be returned to the Home Office. This money should be supporting the delivery of public …
Government response. The government deflects the conclusion about its failure to recoup excess profits from accommodation providers by discussing its strategy for dispersal accommodation, national allocation plans, and exiting hotels.
Home Office
16
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
The Home Office should conclude the process of recouping excess profits for past years as quickly as possible and set out the amounts that have been returned to the department by contract providers. The Home Office should put in place an annual process for auditing profit share data submitted by …
Government response. The government's response deflects the recommendation to recoup excess profits and implement an annual audit process for profit share, instead focusing on its current and future procurement strategies for dispersed asylum accommodation and engagement with local authorities.
Home Office
17
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
Despite provider profit margins being at the lower end of the Home Office’s original estimate, the way the profit share clause was designed means that as the value of the contracts has increased, providers have been able to make significantly higher cash profits than was anticipated when the contracts were …
Government response. The government deflects the conclusion regarding its failure to implement mechanisms preventing excessive provider profits, instead discussing its indexing model for dispersed accommodation, a pilot program for move-on periods, and data sharing guidance.
Home Office
18
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
The Home Office should ensure that profit share clauses in future contracts take account of not just profit margins but also the cash value of profits, so that contract providers cannot benefit so substantially from increased demand for and changes to the type and/or base costs of asylum accommodation. (Recommendation, …
Government response. The government deflects the recommendation to ensure future contracts include profit share clauses that account for the cash value of profits, by discussing its engagement with local authorities and communities regarding asylum accommodation and efforts to combat misinformation.
Home Office
19
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
The quality of accommodation is highly variable across the country. While there is clearly accommodation of an acceptable standard, too many asylum seekers continue to be placed in accommodation that is inadequate or deeply unsuitable. The accommodation asylum seekers are housed in should be adequate, and it is unacceptable that …
Government response. The government deflects the recommendation to improve variable accommodation quality and strengthen performance management of providers, by focusing on its strategy to exit all asylum hotels and deliver a range of alternative accommodation sites.
Home Office
20
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
Long stays in inappropriate hotels are often deeply harmful to the people accommodated there. Local services are left to respond to these impacts and fill the gaps where the basic needs of asylum seekers are not being met. The use of hotels has at times had a significant impact on …
Government response. The government reiterates its commitment to closing asylum hotels by the end of Parliament, noting progress in reducing numbers and detailing its managed plan to coordinate closures with local authorities while exploring alternative large sites.
Home Office
21
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted in Part
When planning the closure of the hotels, the Home Office should prioritise the closure of manifestly unsuitable hotels—such as those in remote areas and near limited infrastructure—that cause the most harm to their residents and place the most pressure on local services, and also the closure of hotels in areas …
Government response. The government committed to closing asylum hotels as soon as possible, with current usage reduced, and will coordinate closures with local partners considering various factors. However, it did not explicitly commit to developing a specific prioritisation process for the early …
Home Office
22
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
Communication with asylum seekers is inconsistent and often inadequate. Communication can be particularly poor when asylum seekers are moved between accommodation sites, which can happen with practically no notice. (Conclusion, Paragraph 93)
Government response. The government states that service providers have a contractual obligation to provide at least five days' notice for accommodation moves, that processes are in place and reviewed, and Migrant Help offers 24/7 support.
Home Office
23
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
We recommend that the Home Office sets clear standards for providers to communicate with asylum seekers about their accommodation and support, including minimum notice periods for moving asylum seekers to new accommodation. The department should regularly monitor provider practices to ensure these standards are being met and take corrective action …
Government response. The government states that clear contractual obligations already require service providers to notify asylum seekers of moves with a minimum five-day notice, and these standards are monitored through departmental inspections and contract management meetings.
Home Office
24
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
The Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility Contract (AIRE) service delivered by Migrant Help has not been able to meet demand, and the Home Office has failed to effectively manage the performance of the service. We recognise that Migrant Help has delivered the service in a very difficult operating environment. However, …
Government response. The government acknowledges Migrant Help's contractual obligations and monitoring, noting improvements in some KPIs, and states it is working closely with the provider while also reviewing performance frameworks and contract scope to ensure adequate service delivery.
Home Office
25
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted in Part
The Home Office should take urgent action to address the performance of Migrant Help. If Migrant Help is unable to fulfil the Advice, Issue Reporting, and Eligibility (AIRE) contract to an acceptable standard, the Home Office should find an alternative provider or consider alternative ways of delivering the essential services …
Government response. The government acknowledges Migrant Help's contractual obligations and monitoring, stating improvements have been made and they are working closely with the provider; it also confirms it retains the right to consider alternative providers or delivery models if standards are not …
Home Office
26
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
Migrant Help is not contracted to follow up on or monitor issues and does not have sight of the response from providers and the Home Office. This creates a significant gap in accountability. We recognise the value of enabling asylum seekers to raise concerns separately from accommodation providers and the …
Government response. The government acknowledges the need to review future delivery options for the AIRE service, stating it is currently reviewing performance frameworks and contract scope, and examining alternative approaches as part of future asylum contract development.
Home Office
27
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Deferred
While we recognise the value of having an independent, national reporting mechanism for issues with asylum accommodation, we are not convinced that all elements of this service should be delivered through a centralised system. It was therefore encouraging to hear that the Home Office is considering more localised models for …
Government response. The government acknowledges challenges with solely local AIRE service delivery but recognizes the need to review future delivery options, stating it is currently reviewing performance frameworks and contract scope to inform future asylum contract models.
Home Office
28
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
We recommend that the Home Office reviews the structure and remit of the AIRE service, to identify changes that could be made to ensure the service delivers what is required. The Home Office should report back to us on the outcome of its consideration of how the advice and issue …
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation to review the AIRE service, stating it is currently reviewing its structure, remit, performance frameworks, and contract scope, and examining alternative approaches as part of its future asylum contracts development.
Home Office
29
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted in Part
We are deeply concerned by the volume of evidence indicating significant safeguarding failings in asylum accommodation. While there are evidently pockets of localised good practice, the response to safeguarding concerns is inconsistent and often inadequate, leaving vulnerable people at risk of harm. We are particularly concerned that the Home Office …
Government response. The government acknowledges safeguarding's importance, detailing a revised Safeguarding Framework (Aug 2025) and a Public Protection and Safeguarding Programme to improve oversight, but notes that contractual performance measures and auditing for financial penalties are currently 'under review for future development'.
Home Office
30
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Home Office strengthens its approach to safeguarding by: a. Ensuring that there is a robust framework for overseeing and auditing how safeguarding policies and processes are applied on the ground by contractors and subcontractors; b. Ensuring that staff working directly with asylum seekers receive adequate safeguarding …
Government response. The Home Office updated its safeguarding framework in August 2025 and established a Public Protection and Safeguarding Programme to improve risk management and communication. However, specific elements like contractual performance measures and wider auditing are currently outside scope and remain …
Home Office
31
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
There are significant failings in the current processes for making initial decisions about age and unreliable decisions are still leading to children being incorrectly placed in adult accommodation. We do not have confidence that the arrangements for accommodation providers to identify and refer age dispute cases to the relevant local …
Government response. The Home Office has closed emergency UASC hotels, provided incentivised funding to local authorities, and committed to strengthening age assessment processes through an Immigration White Paper and trials of AI technology. They also use safeguarding audits and contractual levers to …
Home Office
32
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
The Home Office should review and make improvements to arrangements for identifying and responding to age dispute cases in adult asylum accommodation and ensure that there is clear guidance for accommodation providers. To protect the welfare of children in the asylum system the department must ensure that provider staff have …
Government response. The Home Office is committed to strengthening age dispute processes, including commissioning trials for AI technology to improve age assessment. They use safeguarding audits and contractual levers to monitor provider compliance with guidance and training requirements, and facilitate information sharing …
Home Office
33
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Rejected
The use of hotels for asylum accommodation was intended to be a short- term, contingency measure and consequently people in Contingency Accommodation do not “count” towards the Home Office’s plans for the distribution of asylum seekers across the country. In practice, there are Contingency hotels that have been open in …
Government response. The government agrees it needs to account for contingency accommodation in overall planning, but explicitly rejects the recommendation to directly include contingency accommodation in National Allocation Plans for Dispersal Accommodation, citing concerns it would limit procurement of needed dispersal sites.
Home Office
34
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Rejected
We recommend that the Home Office amends the indexing tool used to develop targets for the distribution of asylum seekers across the country so that it accounts for use of Contingency Accommodation. We also recommend that the Home Office ensures that accommodation providers take account of existing Contingency and Dispersal …
Government response. The Home Office is reviewing its indexing tool but rejects the recommendation to directly account for Contingency Accommodation in its plans, arguing it would limit increasing Dispersal Accommodation. However, it does require providers to consider existing Dispersal Accommodation when proposing …
Home Office
35
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
The Home Office has failed to achieve its targets for an equitable distribution of asylum seekers. Asylum accommodation is still heavily concentrated in particular areas, often areas of high deprivation. Many local authorities do not have faith that the department will achieve a fair and equitable distribution of accommodation. The …
Government response. The Home Office states its commitment to fair distribution and is reviewing its indexing tool for capacity and impact. It has National Asylum Allocation Plans and a transformation programme to reduce reliance on contingency accommodation and restore a sustainable dispersal …
Home Office
36
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Home Office set out the steps it will take to overcome barriers to the delivery of a fairer distribution of accommodation and improve engagement with local authorities on how best to address barriers to procurement. Local authorities are the experts on their areas, and the Home …
Government response. The Home Office states it already works with local authorities and Strategic Migration Partnerships to address procurement barriers and plans for future contracts to include stronger levers to direct providers. However, it does not specifically address consulting on price caps …
Home Office
37
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
The Home Office has failed to properly consider the impacts of its approach to the delivery of asylum accommodation on local areas and to engage early with local partners to understand what these impacts might be. It is inexplicable that the Home Office has placed no obligation on providers to …
Government response. The Home Office states that impacts on local areas are actively considered using an indexing model that accounts for local pressures. It launched a pilot to extend the move-on period for asylum seekers and has issued guidance to all providers …
Home Office
38
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Rejected
We recommend that the Home Office implements a package of reforms to ensure that the impact of asylum accommodation on local areas is accounted for, including by: a. Ensuring that impacts on local services are adequately assessed by providers prior to accommodation being procured; b. Providing local authorities with at …
Government response. The Home Office states it already considers impacts on local areas via an indexing model and has issued data sharing guidance to providers. However, it does not address providing 28 days' notice for new Contingency Accommodation and, after a pilot, …
Home Office
39
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
For too long, the Home Office has not prioritised community cohesion in its approach to asylum accommodation, no doubt at least partly because that is the responsibility of another department. The Home Office has failed to properly engage with local communities, and as a result has missed opportunities to proactively …
Government response. The Home Office asserts it already engages extensively with local authorities and partners on asylum accommodation. It is also committed to improving and prioritizing communication with local communities, developing clear messaging, strengthening engagement channels, and undertaking trials with police forces …
Home Office
40
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted
The Home Office should work with other government departments, local authorities, devolved administrations and community groups to improve communication with local communities about the use of asylum accommodation in their areas. This should include communicating how legitimate concerns are being addressed and ensuring that misinformation is challenged. (Recommendation, Paragraph 173) …
Government response. The government accepted the recommendation, committing to improving communication with local communities, addressing legitimate concerns, and challenging misinformation. It outlined specific actions including developing clear messaging, strengthening engagement channels, and conducting trials with police forces.
Home Office
41
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
The Home Office has not demonstrated that it has had a strategy for the delivery of asylum accommodation. The department’s approach has instead been a series of hasty, short-term responses, damaging relationships with partners and confidence in the ability of government to deliver, as well as wasting taxpayers’ money. In …
Government response. The government reiterates its commitment to exiting all asylum hotels as soon as possible, stating it's a complex programme requiring a balanced and evidence-based approach, and is reviewing its long-term accommodation strategy.
Home Office
42
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
The 2026 break clause and the end of the contracts in 2029 represent an opportunity to draw a line under the current failed, chaotic and expensive system and move to a model that is more effective and offers value for money. While the Home Office is considering options, it has …
Government response. The Home Office states that exiting asylum hotels is a top priority, with significant progress already made, and commits to ending hotel use by the end of the current Parliament. It is reviewing its long-term accommodation strategy in light of …
Home Office
43
Conclusion
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
The Government has committed to ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the end of this Parliament. Ministers have yet to set out a fully articulated plan with clear milestones for how the Government will deliver a significant reduction in the use of hotels while maintaining flexible …
Government response. The government reiterates its commitment to ending hotel use by the end of Parliament, citing progress in reducing numbers, and states it is reviewing its long-term accommodation strategy, but will not publish specific timelines for closures.
Home Office
44
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Accepted in Part
We recommend that the Government set out a clear, credible strategy for how it will reduce the use of asylum hotels and deliver a sustainable system of asylum accommodation. This strategy should include a realistic timeframe and achievable milestones to ensure that the Home Office has enough time to implement …
Government response. The government acknowledges the need to exit hotels, reiterates its commitment to do so by the end of Parliament, and states it is reviewing its long-term accommodation strategy but will not publish specific timeframes or detailed plans for operational reasons.
Home Office
45
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Acknowledged
There is no one solution that will solve the fundamental challenges of delivering asylum accommodation on the required scale, and the Home Office cannot simply sub-contract responsibility to local government or private companies—ministers must have effective control and oversight. Regardless of the model the Home Office adopts, working in partnership …
Government response. The government is committed to ending hotel use for asylum accommodation and is reviewing its long-term strategy, working with other departments and engaging with local authorities. However, it did not explicitly commit to shaping a future approach that is *more …
Home Office
46
Recommendation
4th Report – The Home Office's manageme…
Not Addressed
In principle, a decentralised model could provide a viable alternative to a centralised system that has simply not worked. A more localised approach could have a number of benefits, in particular enabling greater co- ordination between asylum accommodation and other services. Delivering such a system effectively will require resources, time …
Government response. The government reiterates its commitment to exiting all asylum hotels and is reviewing its long-term accommodation strategy, but does not address the recommendation about developing a strategy for a potential decentralised model or devoting resources to its oversight.
Home Office