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Hundreds of asylum seekers are to be moved to military sites as the Government aims to end the use of hotels to house migrants. The Home Office confirmed on Monday (October 27) that two barracks in Scotland and southern England would be used to house around 900 men temporarily, with officials working to identify more sites in the coming weeks and months. The plans will see men housed at Cameron Barracks in Inverness and Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex, it was announced. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE Both sites were used to accommodate Afghan families evacuated during the withdrawal from Kabul in 2021 while they were resettled elsewhere, with that work ending earlier this year. The move is part of Government efforts to end the use of asylum hotels, which a parliamentary committee branded “failed, chaotic and expensive” on Monday. A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are furious at the level of illegal migrants and asylum hotels. This Government will close every asylum hotel. “Work is well under way, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities and cut asylum costs.” Other options being considered include military and industrial sites, temporary facilities and disused accommodation, and officials have been ordered to accelerate work identifying alternatives. As of June this year, around 32,000 asylum seekers were being housed in hotels, down from a peak of more than 56,000 in 2023 but 2,500 more than at the same point last year. And expected costs of Home Office accommodation contracts for 2019-2029 have tripled from £4.5 billion to £15.3 billion, following what the Commons Home Affairs Committee called a “dramatic increase” in demand. On Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “frustrated and angry” as he sought to blame the previous government for leaving a “huge mess” in the asylum system by failing to process people’s claims. --- Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable , highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street . If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@men-news.co.uk or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
