The Home Office has announced that the initial group of asylum seekers has been relocated to a military barracks in Sussex. In the early hours of Thursday, 27 individuals were among the first batch to be accommodated at the Crowborough training camp. The government plans to utilize unused Ministry of Defence sites more extensively to reduce the number of asylum seekers housed in hotels.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that Crowborough is just the starting point, emphasizing the intention to identify and repurpose additional sites until all asylum hotels are shut down and returned to local communities. The duration of stay at Crowborough for individuals will be limited to up to three months during the processing of their asylum applications, with those whose claims are rejected being promptly relocated.
Under the current administration, the government reports a decrease in the number of hotels used to accommodate migrants, down to fewer than 200 from over 400 during the previous government’s tenure. Labour has committed to closing all remaining hotels by 2029, with Keir Starmer expressing the goal of achieving this sooner.
Critics have raised concerns about the recent move, with Imran Hussain of the Refugee Council noting that the temporary solution at Crowborough will have minimal impact on the overall number of individuals housed in hotels. He suggested an alternative approach where individuals from countries like Sudan and Iran, likely to be recognized as refugees, could be granted a limited stay subject to strict security checks, enabling them to contribute to local communities.
Wealden District Council has expressed opposition to the utilization of the site for asylum seekers, with Leader James Partridge indicating that despite objections, the Home Office has proceeded with its plans. The council is exploring potential legal avenues, although the likelihood of the camp opening remains high.
The Home Office assured that all individuals accommodated at the barracks have undergone thorough screening against law enforcement, criminal, and immigration databases, in addition to completing initial health assessments prior to their arrival.
As of September, there were 36,273 individuals residing in asylum hotels awaiting asylum decisions. The number peaked at 56,018 in September 2023 under the previous government but declined to 29,561 in June 2024, shortly before the general election.
