Home Office asylum housing scheme in County Durham explained

The decision reverses a three-month halt on sourcing new accommodation that had been welcomed by Durham County Council and prompted a political row over the county's role in housing asylum seekers.

Here's what the decision means and why the Government says it has changed course.

What has happened?

In a letter to Durham County Council, the Home Office confirmed it had instructed its accommodation provider, Mears, to begin sourcing properties in County Durham again.

Officials said a review had found an additional 100 to 150 bed spaces were now required, meaning procurement needed to restart.

The decision follows a meeting between Home Office officials and council representatives on June 24, during which the future of asylum accommodation in the county was discussed.

Why was procurement paused?

Last June, Mears announced it would stop buying new properties in County Durham for three months because there was considered to be "sufficient capacity" to meet demand.

The Home Office said the decision was unusual and had been taken because of concerns about community cohesion, alongside expectations that the planned pipeline of accommodation would be enough to meet Durham's allocated Service User Demand Plan (SUDP).

The department has now concluded those assumptions no longer reflect current demand.

Why has the Home Office changed its mind?

According to the Home Office, the review found County Durham now needs an extra 100 to 150 bed spaces for asylum seekers.

In a letter to the council, the department said additional accommodation was "urgently needed".

It added that while the temporary pause had ended, it remained committed to working with Durham County Council and Mears to ensure local considerations were taken into account when identifying suitable properties.

The Home Office also stressed it had always made clear the pause was temporary rather than permanent.

How many asylum seekers are currently housed in County Durham?

The latest Home Office figures, published in December 2025, show 566 asylum seekers were living in Home Office-funded accommodation across County Durham.

Those figures cover people awaiting decisions on their asylum claims who are being supported through the national asylum accommodation system.

Why has the issue become politically contentious?

The decision has sparked criticism from Durham County Council's Reform UK administration.

Deputy council leader Darren Grimes said the announcement came as a shock to County Hall officials and accused the Government of failing to listen to local concerns. In March, he said the authority was exploring potential legal action after learning procurement would resume.

Reacting to the recent announcement, Cllr Grimes vowed to “be the most difficult council in England” for the Government to deal with amid ongoing measures to prevent properties being bought up by developers.  

The county councillor has previously argued that County Durham has been unfairly targeted for asylum accommodation and claimed Mears had been "hoovering up" homes in some of the county's most deprived communities, including Ferryhill and Stanley.

Meanwhile, County Durham MPs claim they were also not told about the procurement pause being lifted. 

In a letter to county councillor Pete Molloy, Alan Strickland MP said: “Earlier this year myself and other County Durham Labour MPs met the Home Office minister responsible for asylum, to say that any changes to asylum accommodation in our area must be paused. Following those discussions, the minister agreed our request. 

“County Durham MPs were not informed that the Home Office had recently lifted the pause on procurement. We were not informed of that decision and the meeting on 24 June was between the Home Office and Durham County Council – Members of Parliament were not invited and were therefore not present. 

“I will continue to represent my constituents' concerns and hold the Home Office to account.”

Can asylum seekers choose where they live?

No. Under the Home Office's dispersal system, people seeking asylum cannot normally choose where they are accommodated.

Since 2022, the Government has expected local authorities across the UK to accommodate asylum seekers broadly in proportion to their population size.

The Home Office says exceptions are made only in limited circumstances.

What has the Home Office said?

The department said the temporary pause had always been intended as a short-term measure and that local community concerns continued to be considered as part of its wider immigration reforms.

It said it would continue working with Durham County Council and Mears as procurement resumes, while ensuring the county can meet its share of the national demand for asylum accommodation.