Full Breakdown
Burnham’s Push to End Asylum Hotels and Spread Dispersal Nationwide
8/13/2026, 12:42:06 AM
Core Policy Announcement
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to cease the use of hotels for asylum-seeker accommodation and to shift new placements to larger, basic sites such as former military barracks. The government plans to open three additional military-site facilities, including a site near the Oxfordshire village of Piddington that could house up to 1,250 male asylum seekers.
Background & Context
The United Kingdom’s asylum-dispersal system has relied on privately-run houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and, more recently, on hotels repurposed for temporary housing. Under the previous Conservative administration, the number of hotels used for this purpose peaked at around 400. Burnham criticised the “dispersal system” in 2018, warning that his region could not sustain “disproportionate” numbers of asylum seekers. At that time, Greater Manchester was hosting roughly 25 % of the national asylum-applicant population.
Data & Statistics
- At the end of March, government figures recorded 97,519 people receiving asylum support, of whom 20,885 were housed in hotels.
- 72,768 were placed in other accommodation, primarily community-based dispersal housing.
- Regional concentration was highest in the north-east and north-west, with 26 and 25 supported individuals per 10,000 residents respectively (Home Office).
- Local authority totals with the most supported asylum seekers were Glasgow (3,870), Birmingham (2,142), Liverpool (2,053), Coventry (1,712) and Belfast (1,607).
- Recent government action has closed 13 hotels, reducing the total from a peak of about 400 to fewer than 160 and projecting a taxpayer saving of £51 million.
- Planned military-site capacity across Barnham (Suffolk), Bicester (Oxfordshire) and Linton-on-Ouse (North Yorkshire) could accommodate roughly 3,750 people, with extensions at sites in Crowborough (East Sussex) and Wethersfield (Essex).
Official Statements & Responses
Burnham emphasized a “relentless focus” on both asylum accommodation and the reduction of small-boat Channel crossings, while refusing to set a specific timeline for ending the crossings before the next general election. Refugee Council chief executive Imran Hussain warned that hotels are “isolating for refugees” and that moving people to military sites alone will not solve the underlying issue of prolonged reliance on asylum support.
Criticism & Opposition
Former Conservative MP Sir Graham Brady previously labelled the use of hotels as “obviously inappropriate” and said it caused “considerable disquiet.” Local opposition has also been vocal: residents of Piddington organized a symbolic referendum on leaving the UK, and nearby Thetford saw attempts to enter homes believed to house asylum seekers. A protest in Epping, Essex, led to the cancellation of a Home Office hotel contract earlier in the year.
On-the-Ground Reports
In Piddington, a village of roughly 400 residents, the proposal to host up to 1,250 male asylum seekers at a former military site sparked protests over perceived scale and community impact. Demonstrations in Thetford, Norfolk, targeted properties thought to be occupied by asylum seekers, and a separate protest in Epping forced a hotel contract termination. These actions illustrate localized resistance to the dispersal model even as the government seeks broader geographic distribution.
What’s Next
The Burnham administration plans to continue phasing out asylum hotels, with further closures expected as part of a wider review of outsourcing arrangements. Expansion of military-site accommodation is slated for the coming years, and the government is evaluating additional sites beyond the current portfolio. Burnham has pledged to keep “relentless” pressure on smuggling gangs and to reduce Channel crossings, but has not committed to a specific deadline for either goal before the next election.
