Asylum Contingency Hotels Frequently Asked Questions
Asylum is protection given by a country to someone fleeing from persecution in their own country. To be eligible to claim asylum in the UK, a person must have left their country and be unable to go back because they fear persecution based on their; race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group. An asylum seeker is the term used for an individual who has applied for asylum and is awaiting a decision on whether they will be granted refugee status. An asylum applicant who does not qualify for refugee status may still be granted leave to remain in the UK for humanitarian or other reasons.
Approximately 150,000 people have asylum status and are awaiting a decision by the Home Office.
Approximately 50,000 people are living with friends or family.
Approximately 45,000 people are in asylum housing.
Approximately 55,000 people are in asylum hotels.
The top five most common countries of nationality of people who apply for asylum in the UK are Afghanistan, Iran, Albania, Eritrea and Syria.
In many countries, including Iran and Eritrea, emigrants are leaving the country because of political crackdowns, illegal asset confiscation by the state, heavy-handed social and religious control, or the danger of persecution based on sexual orientation. Many have been subjected to severe trauma because of their religion or social group.
Many individuals were forced to flee as young as 15 years old after witnessing the loss of their parents. In some cases the young single males have survived the treacherous journey that the very young or very old could not endure, many lost friends or family along the way. Others have been sent out by their families on a journey of unknown danger or destination, in the hope they can obtain refugee status and find a safe way for their family to join them. Some have been fleeing for years, creating great pressure on family units, not knowing if their loved ones are still alive.
Currently, there is no law that says asylum seekers must make their asylum claim in the first safe country they arrive in after leaving their country of origin. However, under an EU law called the Dublin III Regulation, asylum seekers could in theory be transferred to the first EU member state in which they arrived after leaving their origin country. The UK is no longer a part of the Dublin arrangement (post Brexit), but has introduced new laws on “inadmissibility” to bar people from claiming asylum in the UK if they had an earlier presence in or connection to a safe third country.
The UK Government Illegal Migration Bill 2023 proposes changes to this legislation and is currently at Committee Stage:
“A Bill to make provision for and in connection with the removal from the United Kingdom of persons who have entered or arrived in breach of immigration control; to make provision about detention for immigration purposes; to make provision about unaccompanied children; to make provision about victims of slavery or human trafficking; to make provision about leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom; to make provision about citizenship; to make provision about the inadmissibility of certain protection and certain human rights claims relating to immigration; to make provision about the maximum number of persons entering the United Kingdom annually using safe and legal routes; and for connected purposes.”
Turkey 3.7 million, Colombia 2.5 million, Germany 2.2 million, Pakistan 1.5 million, Uganda 1.5 million.
In Europe, France has the most asylum seekers, followed by Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece and Belgium. The UK is below the average among EU countries for asylum applications per head of population, ranking 16th among EU27 countries UK Government Asylum Statistics.
To claim asylum in the UK, a person must be in the UK. It is not possible to apply from outside the country, and there is no asylum visa to enable people to travel to the UK legally to apply for asylum. Therefore, for people who do not have visa free travel to the UK, they must enter irregularly, such as by small boat, lorry, or by using false documents, or on a visa for some other purpose, such as tourism or study.
The UK Government are currently providing accommodation and financial support to a significant number of asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. They are being accommodated in contingency accommodation, including hotels, which have been requisitioned to provide short-term accommodation and facilities for new arrivals whilst they await the outcome of their asylum claim.
Historically, the majority of Asylum accommodation has been in England and Glasgow. The Minister for Safe and Legal Migration wrote to all local authorities informing councils that the Home Office is now seeking to extend across the whole of the UK, including all 32 councils in Scotland. This is because of the sustained and unprecedented pressure on the Asylum system caused by large numbers of individuals arriving into the UK.
Yes, there is one asylum contingency hotel in Elgin, Moray.
Hotels are procured and supported by Mears, asylum accommodation providers, on behalf of the Home Office. Mears are required to ensure that asylum accommodation is safe, habitable and fit for purpose and meets all contractual and regulatory standards. This is happening across the country, and not just in our area, as the Government upholds its obligations under the Refugee Convention and continues to accommodate individuals and families awaiting a decision on their asylum claim.
Consultation and engagement with local authorities and MPs around the use of sites in their relevant areas is paramount to the work the Home Office are doing and they aim to provide as much notice as possible of their intention to use contingency sites. When a new hotel has been identified, the Home Office will write to the Local Authority Chief Executive and the MP for the area to inform them of the plans to house Asylum Seekers within the hotel/alternative accommodation. This is normally done in advance of a hotel being used, but where an urgent need for accommodation occurs, this may take place retrospectively.
The Home Office then offer the local authority a meeting to discuss the hotel, where they are able to provide feedback on the proposed site and all related matters. The Home Office ensure they are actively engaging with all partners and listening to concerns with an action plan to address these in a collaborative manner. If a MP asks for a meeting to discuss the details of the site and current situation across the asylum system then the Home Office will engage with the MP in an effective manner.
Accommodation was procured at the hotel as a temporary emergency solution therefore it wouldn’t be appropriate to carry out prior consultation with local residents. This accommodation enables the Home Office to carry out its statutory obligations to house asylum seekers.
The decision to place individuals seeking Asylum in Moray was made by the Home Office. The decision to use the hotel was a decision made by the owner of the hotel. Once the decision was confirmed there was a very short space of time before individuals arrived in the hotel.
The Home Office policy is not to announce the arrival of an Asylum Contingency Hotel or engage with the local community, primarily to respect the privacy of the individuals living in the hotel, this is the approach they have taken in big cities which appears to have been effective. However, they have accepted, the Moray community is different to that of communities within larger cities and that Moray residents are very interested and highly invested in the changes within their community. Therefore, the Home Office agreed to the local authority piloting a pro-active approach to community engagement to inform and educate our residents. The local team have started this process with media responses and two stakeholder events resulting in an outpouring of support from residents in Moray.
The team intend to facilitate further in-person stakeholder events in the coming months - dates and venues will be posted on Moray Council’s website and social media in due course http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_138847.html
Asylum Contingency Accommodation is a Home Office initiative led by Mears Property and Care Provider and supported by the Home Office procured charity Migrant Help. Mears will be responsible for all costs associated with the hotel, but there is likely to be some costs incurred by the local authority for statutory services such as GP registration.
There will be minimal impact on Moray GP practices, a Health Care Professional (HCP) has been assigned to the hotel, their role is to carry out Health Assessments on arrival and register the individuals with a GP. The HCP will also triage and treat minor ailments at the hotel reducing the need for GP appointments. The individuals are young males and therefore do not require the care of chronic health conditions associated with older generations.
Asylum Seekers will not be offered dental care due to the lack of available services, they will only be provided dental care in an emergency situation.
None, the individuals residing in the Elgin Contingency Hotel are all adult males.
None, the individuals residing in the Elgin Contingency Hotel are awaiting the outcome of their asylum claim which may take between six months to 1 year. As an asylum seeker they have no recourse to public funds therefore are not entitled to mainstream benefits and housing. If they receive a positive outcome to their asylum claim they will be granted refugee status which will entitle them to work and live in the UK. The Home Office in partnership with Mears will identify dispersal accommodation for those that are granted refugee status, currently there are no plans for dispersal accommodation in Moray.
Those who claim asylum in the UK are not normally allowed to work whilst their claim is being considered. The Home Office policy objectives, in restricting permission to work for asylum seekers whilst their claim is considered are to; ensure a clear distinction between economic migration and asylum that discourages those who do not need protection from claiming asylum to benefit from economic opportunities they would not otherwise be eligible for, and prevent illegal migration for economic reasons and protect the integrity of the asylum system so that we can more quickly offer protection to those who really need it.
People who have claimed asylum in the UK can apply for permission to work if they have been waiting 12 months for a decision, and they are not considered responsible for the delay. If the Home Office grants permission, then they can only take on jobs from the shortage occupation list.
However, individuals are encouraged to volunteer and can undertake volunteering at any stage of the asylum process. There are restrictions on the volunteering opportunities that individuals can undertake. It is important that the individuals do not undertake volunteering opportunities that would ordinarily be undertaken by someone who is paid for the same work and they cannot accept money for any volunteering opportunity, if they do, this will impact negatively on their asylum application. The Moray Council is working to ensure that individuals living in the hotel are given opportunities to assist the Moray community that are appropriate.
The Local Authority has no direct responsibility for Asylum Hotels, however they do have a statutory duty, as they would with anyone moving into the area, to provide any health, social care and social work support to Asylum Seekers if needed.
The Moray Team have been working closely with Mears, and will continue to do so. This ensures that our communities, services, and community planning partners are fully involved and able to respond to any emerging issues or concerns, and ensures that the impact on the local area and services is reduced as much as possible.
The Asylum, Refugee and Resettlement Team, NHS and Police will work closely with Mears and the Home Office to coordinate and identify wider support needs. This will include GP registration, linking with the third sector and maximising strengths, goodwill and resilience in the Moray community.
Mears Property & Care Provider are responsible for the day to day running of the hotel and the welfare of the individuals being accommodated. A Welfare Officer is based at the hotel, supported by hotel staff and a 24/7 security team responsible for ensuring the safety, health and well-being of the individuals.
Asylum applicants are transferred from other hotels in South East England, after initial assessments and security checks have been completed.
The Home Office do not comment on individual cases. Some of the residents will be new arrivals into the UK and will transfer to Moray within the first few days or weeks after arriving into the country, other individuals may have been in the UK for a number of months and are being transferred from another UK hotel.
When individuals arrive in the UK initial assessments and security checks are undertaken by the Home Office, including biometric (facial recognition and fingerprint) data, after which individuals are issued with an identity card known as an Application Registration Card (ARC). The Home Office notify Mears of any previous known offences and risks in advance of any arrivals at any contingency sites. An assessment is then made to ensure that the property/hotel is appropriate accommodation.
On arrival, individuals are given an induction and provided with written guidance on adhering to expected behaviours and are expected to comply accordingly.
Mears will work closely with all partners to ensure the safety of the community and individuals in the hotel. Police are fully involved in the response to arrivals in Moray, and will visit the hotel regularly. This will help the individuals and Police to get to know one another. Police statistics and intelligence show that people seeking asylum are more likely to be victims of crime, than perpetrators of crime.
No, Asylum Seekers are not detained under any immigration law, and are therefore free to leave and return to the hotel. To restrict movement would be against their human rights. However, the Home Office needs to be aware of where individuals are. The individuals in the Hotel will be expected to sleep within the Hotel; this will be their home whilst their asylum application is in progress. Should individuals not return to the hotel to sleep, Mears would report this to the Home Office.
Mears Property & Care Providers procure additional staff to provide appropriate 24-hour onsite cover to ensure the safety of hotel residents.
No, the hotel will provide accommodation to single adult males only. This is because the hotel is not appropriate to provide accommodation to families. Families tend not to be supported in a hotel environment, but within supported housing.
The hotel will provide accommodation to single adult males, the maximum number being accommodated at the hotel is 50.
The Home Office has indicated that the population in the hotels will not be static. The current average stay of individuals is six months to a year.
Hotels are single use only and are not accommodating other guests.
Hotel accommodation is provided on a full board basis. Individuals will receive breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as nutritional snacks.
No. Individuals will receive £9.10 a week from the Home Office. This money is provided via an Aspen Card.
No, individuals will have no recourse to public funds. Mears will work in close partnership with the Asylum Refugee and Resettlement Team, Police Scotland and the NHS to; support with any immediate health or welfare needs, registration with GP Practices and link individuals with community resources and groups.
Yes, the hotel will provide free Wi-Fi. Having access to data is essential. It will allow them to liaise with the Home Office, progress their application, attend legal meetings and most importantly stay in touch with family around the world.
No, the asylum seekers will not be permitted to use the leisure facilities at the hotel, this is due to health & safety, staffing, cost and insurance implications, therefore the leisure facilities are currently closed.
We will not know the faiths of individuals until they arrive. Mears will ensure that individuals have access to practice their chosen faith should they wish to. All faith groups and organisations will all be invited to provide support as required.
You can help by welcoming our Asylum guests with a friendly smile in the passing. You can help by donating clothing (trainers, jeans, jumpers and jackets for young adult males) to the Red Cross shop in Elgin. You can help by welcoming them, if they attend your church, social group or sports club.
If you have questions or concerns relating to UK Government Legislation or asylum seekers in general please email the; Home Office Asylum Accommodation & Support Contract Team (AASC) on asra-briefingcorrespondence@homeoffice.gov.uk.
If you have questions or concerns relating to the Elgin Contingency Hotel and the local community, or would like to offer support, please contact the; Moray Council Asylum Refugee and Resettlement Team via asylum@moray.gov.uk.