Written questions by Simmonds.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025, to Question 86658, on Asylum: Housing, what specific function or role will the Greater London Authority have in relation to asylum housing.

The Home Office is working with local authorities to develop several potential asylum accommodation models that could ‘pilot’ a more sustainable, flexible and collaborative outcome. Decisions on the provision of alternative asylum accommodation sites will be made on a site-by-site basis, and we will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and in compliance with published policy.

Pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 86340, on Asylum: Housing, for what policy reason the monetary value of Grant 7 and Grant 6 payments to individual local authorities is confidential.

The Home Office do not publicly publish our grant payment levels by Local Authority to protect our relationship with Local Government.

Pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2025, to Question 86767, on Counter-terrorism: expenditure, what was the policy reason for the number of local authorities receiving Prevent funding being reduced from 30 to 28.

The number of local authorities (LAs) that receive Home Office funding has varied over the years from 20 in 2012 to 44 areas at its peak in 2021, which was just under 25% of all single-tier and upper tier LAs in England and Wales. Irrespective of funding, the Prevent duty places a statutory responsibility on all LAs in England, Scotland and Wales to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.Evidence suggests that the threat from radicalisation is no longer contained to a relatively small number of LAs and that it is increasingly diffuse with more complex cases. Factors such as an increase in online radicalisation has led to risk and threat no longer being contained within administrative boundaries and an LA does not need to be high threat to be high risk.In recognition of the evolving threat and risk, Prevent has evolved its delivery model to a regional model providing increased support to all local authorities. We now have a team of region based expert Home Office Prevent Advisers; this network of Prevent Advisers (PAs) work hand-in-hand with partners across England, Scotland and Wales to offer support and raise Prevent delivery standards within local areas.The funding model does acknowledge that there are some areas with increased threat and risk, and so We currently provide dedicated Prevent funding to 28 LAs that are assessed as managing a higher level of threat and risk, relative to other LAs, to help them go above and beyond the requirements of the Prevent duty. Determining the number of LAs that receive dedicated funding takes account of internal funding allocations for the local delivery of Prevent, and other operational considerations.The regional model also takes into account, the recommendations of the Independent Review of Prevent (IRP), The IRP also noted that the number of funded areas should be reduced to between 15-20 local authorities.In line with this, outside of London, we now fund 20 local authorities. However, in London it is more challenging to assess the threat and risk relative to other parts of the country because the high number of LAs - i.e 32 London Boroughs and the City of London - disaggregates the threat and risk. Our current model therefore considers Greater London as a whole and we fund eight London Boroughs on the basis that they are managing a higher threat and risk, they are performing well and are geographically placed to give us cross-Greater London coverage.

How much Home Office funding is being provided to the London Borough of Hillingdon in 2025-26 to assist with the costs of asylum seekers.

The Home Office does not publicly publish grant payment levels by local authority, we do however provide funding to Local Authorities under the following grant agreements Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children & former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children Care Leavers.Please see the link below to the relevant Funding Instructions:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children-uasc-grant-instructionshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-dispersal-grant-funding-instruction/funding-instruction-for-local-authorities-asylum-grant-2025-2026

Further to paragraph 5.29 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, if she will provide an annual breakdown of the £15.3 billion cost of asylum accommodation over the next 10 years, according to information held by HM Government.

The £15.3bn figure was cited in a NAO report from May this year, it relates to a broad estimate of spend on accommodation contracts across the period 2019 to 2029, not the next 10 years. Actual Asylum spend is published in our Annual Report and Accounts, and as per the Spending Review we are committed to bring spend down by £1.1bn a year by 28/29.

Further to page 122 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, what is her department’s estimated spending on asylum in 2024-25 and each year of the Spending Review.

Asylum support spend in FY 2024/25 was £4.0 billion and for 2025/26 the budget is £3.6 billion. As per the Spending Review, by FY 2028/29, we plan to reduce this by £1.1 billion, bringing the total spend down to £2.5 billion. The allocations process is ongoing to profile this expenditure and confirm budgets for each year, which will then be published in the Main Estimate.

Whether the Home Office and its subcontractor are paying above market rates to hire Houses in Multiple Occupation for asylum accommodation.

This Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly. This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of hotels and ensure better use of public money, whilst maintaining sufficient accommodation to meet demand.The procurement process is guided by principles of sustainability and measured growth, ensuring that accommodation is not only available but also suitable for long-term use and integrated within local communities.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Preventing Radicalisation Fund funding to local authorities in 2025-26 operating on a competitive bidding basis.

It is vital that Prevent is well-equipped to counter the threats that we face and the ideologies that underpin them. Prevent provides funding for all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland to address radicalisation risks through targeted projects, under the Preventing Radicalisation Initiative fund (PRI).For 2025-26 changes were made to the management and bidding process for the PRI fund, with all projects being administered through a grant administrator and Home Office undertaking due diligence on all Civil Society Organisation providers. This ensures government funding is only provided to those approved individuals or organisations that we are confident do not support or hold extremist views.Project delivery must focus on tackling the ideological causes of terrorism, challenging extremist ideology that can be reasonably linked to terrorism and / or providing early interventions to people who are potentially susceptible to radicalisation. Where other harms or vulnerabilities are addressed, it must be evident that the project beneficiaries are potentially susceptible to radicalisation due to significant risk factors.In the financial year April 2025 – March 2026, the Home Office is projected to provide £1,877,378.99 in project delivery funding to a total of 30 Civil Society Organisations under the Prevent Radicalisation programme.This year’s project provision is due to complete by 31st March 2026. Evaluation will be completed by analysts in Homeland Security Analysis and Insight during the next financial year that will reflect on how the Preventing Radicalisation Initiative fund has worked this financial year.

How much funding has been allocated to the London Borough of Hillingdon to assist with the costs of asylum seekers in 2025.

The Home Office does not publicly publish grant payment levels by local authority, we do however provide funding to Local Authorities under the following grant agreements Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children & former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children Care LeaversPlease see the link below to the relevant Funding Instructions:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children-uasc-grant-instructionshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-dispersal-grant-funding-instruction/funding-instruction-for-local-authorities-asylum-grant-2025-2026

What estimate her Department made of potential changes in the cost of local authority temporary accommodation from asylum seekers moving across to refugee status.

The Home Office has not made such an assessment as costs to local authorities would not be in our remit.

How much funding was allocated to the London Borough of Hillingdon for asylum costs in the 2024-2025 financial year.

The Home Office does not publicly publish grant payment levels by local authority, we do however provide funding to Local Authorities under the following grant agreements Asylum, Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children & former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children Care LeaversPlease see the link below to the relevant Funding Instructions:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children-uasc-grant-instructionshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-dispersal-grant-funding-instruction/funding-instruction-for-local-authorities-asylum-grant-2025-2026

Whether Wealden District Council has raised legal objections to the use of Crowborough Training Camp to house asylum seekers.

We do not comment on legal matters, however all sites progressed for asylum accommodation will comply with safety, security, health and wellbeing standards. This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well underway, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities across the country.

What guidance her Department has issued to its contractors on the methdology that should be used to determine the number of bedrooms that should be provided to asylum seekers with children.

The Home Office expects the highest standards from accommodation providers. A detailed breakdown of all of the services to be undertaken by accommodation providers and the standards we expect can be found in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC) Statement of Requirements: http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2018-1112/AASC_-_Schedule_2_-_Statement_of_Requirements.pdfAll Accommodation must comply with the relevant standards for Accommodation defined in Annex B, and the rules relating to sharing and relocations defined in Annex C of this Schedule 2.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 63031 on Asylum: Private Rented Housing, if she will publish her Department's (a) policies and (b) internal guidance on assessing the suitability of a local area for asylum accommodation.

Dispersed Accommodation is procured under the Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC). The AASC are published and set out our requirements for the sourcing and procurement of accommodation, including how providers should work and consult with local authorities on a range of issues, from pressure on services, to security and the impact on the wider community.You can find information about specific Home Office contracts using the Contracts Finder, which can be found here: Contracts Finder - gov.uk.

If she will publish all the written evidence submitted by the Government to the court on the Epping Forest Bell Hotel hearings.

No, the Secretary of State will not publish written evidence submitted by the Government in the hearing relating to the Bell Inn Hotel, Epping. The Secretary of State’s evidence was presented to the court during the trial. After the trial, non-parties may apply to the court for permission to obtain copies of the witness evidence.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 75606 on Community Development: English Language, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department for providing English language support to people in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.

The Home Office has invested in programmes to facilitate refugees’ access to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision.The ESOL Childcare Fund provided support for individuals resettled under the UK Resettlement Scheme, the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance policy, to enable participation in ESOL classes. In 2024-25, we allocated £1.8 million to this fund. This programme closed at the end of the 2024-25 financial year.The ESOL Coordinator function provides a co-ordinated approach to English language across Strategic Migration Partnership (SMP) regions. We provide a grant of £30,000 to 12 SMP regions to fund this role. For 2024-25 and 2025-26, £360,000 was granted per year under this programme.The Home Office developed the STEP Ahead programme, which ran from October 2024 – March 2025, to test an innovative intensive digital approach to delivering English language training and employment support to refugees. We allocated £700,000 to this programme in the 2024-25 financial year.

Pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2025 to Question 69855 on Radicalism, if she will list the 28 highest threat areas in England and Wales; and how much Prevent funding was provided to each local authority for those areas in 2024-25.

In 2024/25, the Home Office allocated dedicated Prevent funds to the 30 highest threat local authorities. These are listed below, along with the amount of Prevent funding that was provided to each local authority during this time. The number of local authorities that received dedicated Prevent funding was reduced to 28 in 2025/26.All Local Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales receive dedicated support from the Home Office to deliver the Prevent duty effectively and in proportion to the risk and threat. This support includes expertise from a network of region-based Home Office Prevent Advisers who work closely with partners to raise Prevent delivery standards.In addition, all local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales can now bid for Prevent project funding from the Preventing Radicalisation Fund (PRF). Priority Areas FY24/25 (Alphabetical order)Allocated Funds including project delivery1Birmingham£634,0932Blackburn with Darwen (Lancashire)£276,620.353Bradford£360,250.204Brent£306,0705Bristol£131,3176Calderdale£194,711.177Cardiff£354,9638Croydon£148,653.65 9Derby£311,22610Ealing£146,121.3811Enfield£252,70112Hackney£149,75513Haringey£242,438.9814Kent£247,041.4015Kirklees£232,622.9316Lambeth£159,89317Leeds£464,190.9218Leicester£373,404.7519Liverpool£317,524.0320Luton£360,664.8721Manchester£541,89522Newcastle upon Tyne£127,428.6023Newham£270,654.9624Nottingham£137,867.5325Redbridge£320,40126Sandwell£150,40027Sheffield£228,82528Tower Hamlets£390,468.6029Waltham Forest£148,277.7630Westminster£327,227.54

Pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2025to Question 69855 on Radicalism, how much was allocated from the Preventing Radicalisation Fund in 2024-25 (a) in total and (b) to each local authority which received funding.

It is vital that Prevent is well-equipped to counter the threats that we face and the ideologies that underpin them.Prevent provides funding for all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland to address radicalisation risks through targeted projectsThe Home Office provided £790,376.85 of funding from the Preventing Radicalisation Fund in the financial year 2024-25 to the following local authority areas.BarnsleyBlackburn with Darwen - LancashireCambridgeshireCoventryCroydonDorsetDudleyDyfed PowysEssexGreater ManchesterHaveringHullHumbersideIsle of WightKingstonLambethLiverpoolMerseysideNottinghamshireRichmondRotherhamSolihullSouthamptonThurrockWakefieldWalesWandsworthWest LondonWiltshireWolverhampton

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77304 on Multiple Occupation: Migrants, how many asylum seekers have been moved from hotels to houses of multiple occupation in the last year.

The Home Office does not publish data on moves within the asylum accommodation estate.Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including accommodation type, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. Immigration system statistics data tables - www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

With reference to the letter from the Minister for Border Security & Asylum to the Home Affairs Select Committee, if she will publish a copy of the accommodation strategy that is now in the delivery phase.

This Government have committed to exit hotels as soon as possible and by the end of this Parliament. We are looking at a range of more appropriate sites including disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so we can reduce the impact on communities.We are further investing £500 million in a new, more sustainable accommodation model, developed in consultation with local authorities. The fund will support local authorities to make available basic alternative accommodation that can be used on a temporary basis to house asylum seekers. In the longer term, the ambition is that the investment leaves a lasting legacy of housing for local communities and reduces pressure on local housing markets.