4th Report – The Home Office's management of asylum accommodation

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 standards are not met.

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 to urgently agreeing new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with contract providers.

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 remain under review for future development.

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.

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 monitor provider compliance.

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 model, despite rejecting a specific recommendation about the indexing tool in a related 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 on appropriate data sharing to ensure a consistent approach with local partners.

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 to counter misinformation and foster community cohesion.

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.

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 recent policy statements and is working with other departments to deliver a more flexible estate, including military sites.

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.

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 locally led* as recommended, focusing instead on overall strategy and collaboration.