The Government has backtracked on plans to reinstate a scheme that buys properties for asylum seekers following pressure from County Durham MPs.
A group of politicians from the region said the Home Office has agreed to extend the pause on purchasing accommodation in the region after previously announcing plans to procure an additional 100 to 150 bedspaces
It comes after Durham County Council criticised the Home Office for reportedly lifting the paused procurement plan without consultation.
News of the decision shocked County Hall officials, with Darren Grimes, the council’s deputy leader, even threatening potential legal action.
But following a meeting with MPs this week, Immigration Minister Alex Norris has reinstated the pause amid concerns about a lack of communication around the decision.
In a letter seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said: “I apologise that you were not informed of this change earlier.
“I appreciate the importance of having accurate information to brief your constituents. Following your engagement, I have asked the Home Office to pause any further additions to this pipeline until we can discuss this further.”
Mr Norris also confirmed that County Durham’s agreed number of asylum dispersal places has not increased. No asylum seekers are housed in council homes, which remain reserved for County Durham residents.
He added: “There has been no change to the number of asylum seekers that would be
considered for Durham under our Full Dispersal model.
“Mears, on behalf of the Home Office, maintains a pipeline of potential properties,
consulting the local authority before any procurement. As sometimes happens, some
properties in use are deemed unsuitable and need to be replaced through this pipeline.
“There is no change in Durham’s allocation. This reflects that some properties
became unsuitable.”
Speaking after the decision, Bishop Auckland’s MP Sam Rushworth said: “To be absolutely clear, there is no plan to increase the number of asylum-seekers allocated to Durham, which was set by the previous government’s fair share scheme.”
Last June, housing provider Mears confirmed that it would not purchase any new properties for three months due to the “sufficient capacity” in County Durham.
The temporary move was welcomed by the Reform-led local authority, amid claims that Mears, contracted by the government, was “hoovering up” properties in the region’s most deprived communities, including Ferryhill and Stanley.
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Home Office data up to December 2025 shows there were 566 asylum seekers housed in County Durham, an increase of 121 since March.
There are currently more than 10,000 people on the council’s housing waiting list, with only 3,000 homes available each year.
Despite this, around 100 households have reportedly been relocated to County Durham from London in the past two years.
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