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Accommodation for asylum seekers

When asylum seekers first arrive in the UK, they are placed in short-term accommodation while their asylum claim is processed. During this period, they have limited rights and a very small amount of money to live on, making it a challenging time.

After the initial asylum processing centres, asylum seekers are moved into one of two types of accommodation, both of which are used in Gloucestershire: 

Contingency Accommodation (CA):
This is usually a hotel or similar. Meals and basic laundering facilities are provided and there may be ensuite toilet facilities. There is often nowhere to cook, prepare or store food and not always access communal or outside space. Asylum seekers receive a small payment of less than £10 each week.

Dispersal Accommodation (DA):
These are usually flats or houses designed to encourage independent living. Many are houses of multiple occupation with shared bathrooms but usually include space to cook and store food. Asylum seekers in DA receive just under £50 a week.

There are currently an estimated 4,042 asylum seekers in the region

  • 2,005 living in contingency
  • 2,036 living in dispersal accommodation.

The Home Office is working with councils across the country to expand dispersal accommodation and phase out the use of hotels. The aim is to ensure that asylum seekers are spread fairly across regions and local areas.

Everyone will have heard stories about people housed in asylum accommodation across the country, but these numbers include children who have been through some very tough times, many of whom have been living in temporary settings for a long time whilst waiting for their family’s asylum claims to be processed.

Gloucestershire County Council sought donations of toys, art and craft activities and gifts for refugee and asylum-seeking children spending Christmas in the county and were delighted and astounded to receive over 150 items last year from staff members.

Gloucester Cathedral also gave activity books with craft materials and a selection of reading books; and NHS staff took a key role by wrapping every gift individually. All these presents were then given to Santa who went out to deliver them.

Migration Team member:

“The local postman who delivered all these parcels was concerned that I had developed a ‘spending habit’ as all the donated presents were being sent to my home but when I explained what we were doing, he brought a massive bag of cuddly toys to me the next day. He had been telling his young son about all the great work we were doing, and between them they donated the family’s toys.”

Everyone will have heard stories about people housed in asylum accommodation across the country, but these numbers include children who have been through some very tough times, many of whom have been living in temporary settings for a long time whilst waiting for their family’s asylum claims to be processed.

Gloucestershire County Council sought donations of toys, art and craft activities and gifts for refugee and asylum-seeking children spending Christmas in the county and were delighted and astounded to receive over 150 items last year from staff members.

Gloucester Cathedral also gave activity books with craft materials and a selection of reading books; and NHS staff took a key role by wrapping every gift individually. All these presents were then given to Santa who went out to deliver them.

Migration Team member:

“The local postman who delivered all these parcels was concerned that I had developed a ‘spending habit’ as all the donated presents were being sent to my home but when I explained what we were doing, he brought a massive bag of cuddly toys to me the next day. He had been telling his young son about all the great work we were doing, and between them they donated the family’s toys.”