Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
4th Report – The Home Office's management of asylum accommodation
Home Affairs Committee
HC 580
Published 27 October 2025
Recommendations
21
Accepted in Part
Prioritise closure of unsuitable asylum hotels causing harm and significant pressure on services.
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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 closure of manifestly unsuitable hotels.
Home Office
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25
Accepted in Part
Address Migrant Help's AIRE contract performance or find alternative service delivery
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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 met, and is reviewing performance frameworks.
Home Office
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29
Accepted in Part
Significant safeguarding failings persist in asylum accommodation with inadequate oversight
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
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30
Accepted in Part
Strengthen safeguarding framework, training, and oversight for asylum accommodation providers
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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 under review for future development.
Home Office
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36
Accepted in Part
Develop strategy to achieve fairer asylum distribution and enhance local authority engagement and investment
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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 or investing in local housing.
Home Office
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44
Accepted in Part
Set out and publish clear strategy for reducing asylum hotel use and delivering sustainable accommodation
Recommendation
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 …
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Government Response Summary
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
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