Asylum

In accordance with current legislation, people with a valid pending claim for asylum are permitted to remain in the UK while their claim is being processed, and as they have permission to remain in the UK during that time, they cannot be routinely detained. Detention is primarily used to facilitate removal of those who have no lawful right to remain in the UK, and who refuse to leave voluntarily.

Asylum seekers and are free to come and go as Home Office accommodation is non-detained. Using the Full Dispersal model, the Home Office ensures that asylum accommodation is distributed fairly and equitably across the UK, preventing a small number of local authorities from being disproportionately impacted and enabling all areas to contribute to meeting legal obligations.

The level of dispersed accommodation in each area is informed by Asylum Accommodation Plans (AAPs), which are underpinned by an indexing model. This model takes a proportional and evidenced based approach to consider a range of social factors, including homelessness levels, access to services, and availability of healthcare provision such as GPs and dentists.

Whilst rurality is a key consideration both in the design of the AAPs and the wider property consultation process, it is not itself a barrier where accommodation is otherwise deemed suitable to meet the needs of asylum seekers.