Asylum seekers will be housed by councils by the end of the year, Home Office documents reveal

Documents from the Home Office have revealed that by the end of this year, more than 90 percent of councils across the UK will be housing asylum seekers  a significant increase from earlier in the year according to a report by dailymail

During the summer, around 82 percent of local authorities were already providing accommodation for migrants. But according to new government data, this number will rise to about 92 percent by the end of 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to move asylum seekers out of hotels and into more permanent housing.

The report says an additional 40,000 people are expected to be placed in homes across London, southern England, and the East of England. Labour has made closing migrant hotels a key priority, aiming to replace them with what it calls “dispersal accommodation” — homes, flats, and shared buildings where migrants can live while waiting for their asylum claims to be processed.

Currently, there are enough spaces for about 46,640 people, but another 66,000 asylum seekers still need accommodation. To meet this demand, officials are considering using military bases, disused buildings, and even prefabricated housing to avoid further reliance on expensive hotels.

The “Service User Demand Plans” prepared by the Home Office detail how many asylum seekers each region is expected to host. For example, in the North West, there are already 17,218 people in dispersal housing — exceeding the target of 13,486 — with nearly 1,800 more waiting for a place.

In the West Midlands, 9,086 migrants have already been accommodated, but almost 5,000 more remain on the waiting list. Meanwhile, in the South East, only 3,118 people are currently housed, far short of the 14,000 target, leaving more than 12,000 waiting for homes.

London also faces major pressure, with 12,206 asylum seekers still waiting for suitable accommodation. In total, five of the 12 regions across England are currently providing fewer than half of the homes needed.

Shadow Housing Secretary Sir James Cleverly told the Sunday Express:

“Labour promised to fix the illegal migration crisis, but instead nearly every council is now being forced to host asylum seekers. This means more unemployed young men living at taxpayers’ expense and greater pressure on social housing when British families are already struggling to find affordable homes.”

Responding to the criticism, Home Office Minister Alex Norris wrote to MPs explaining that the government’s plan takes several factors into account — such as the availability of housing, access to GP services, homelessness levels, and the need to maintain social cohesion in communities.

He said that as of July 1, 82 percent of councils were accommodating asylum seekers, and by the end of the year, that figure will rise to 92 percent, covering nearly the entire country.

A Home Office spokesperson told the Daily Mail:

“The government is determined to close every asylum hotel to save taxpayers billions. We’ve already shut down several hotels, reduced asylum costs by nearly £1 billion, and are exploring new options such as military bases and disused properties.”

In a related development, it has been revealed that prefabricated homes — similar to temporary Portakabin structures — may be used to house both migrants and the homeless. The Portakabin company is reportedly in talks with around a dozen councils about building small, temporary “villages” on unused brownfield sites across the UK.

The company is also said to be open to discussions with the Home Office about using its units to house asylum seekers as a cheaper and quicker alternative to hotels and converted army bases. Deals with up to 11 local authorities could be finalized within weeks.

This move comes amid growing concern about Britain’s housing shortage, with pressure mounting on both central and local governments to find sustainable, affordable solutions for asylum seekers and homeless families alike.