Home Office Places Asylum Seekers Into 16,000 Homes Despite Housing Crisis

The Home Office has compiled a stock of 16,000 rental properties for asylum seekers, despite the pressing shortage of housing for young Britons and families. Contractors working for the Home Office are offering landlords a five-year guarantee of full rental payments as they manage the properties, aiming to quickly relocate asylum seekers from hotels. However, officials caution that this strategy may lead to the formation of 'ghettos' as the properties are concentrated in areas with lower housing costs, such as Hull, Bradford, and Teesside. These homes are part of the same pool as those in the private and social rented sector, contributing to housing more than 58,000 asylum seekers in Great Britain. This number is more than double the figure for rented 'dispersed accommodation' a decade ago. Kevin O’Sullivan and Alex Phillips speaks with political correspondent James Heale. #news #politics #government #uk #talktv #talkradio