The UK government has announced plans to house asylum seekers in disused military bases as a cost-cutting measure, with each site having the capacity to house 1,500-2,000 migrants. The move comes as the government claims to be spending £6.2m a day on hotel accommodation for asylum seekers, with over 51,000 people currently housed in 400 hotels across the country.
Minister for Immigration Robert Jenrick revealed the plans on Wednesday, saying that accommodation for illegal migrants should “meet their essential living needs” and “nothing more. He added that the ex-military locations, including RAF Wethersfield in Essex, RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, a site in Bexhill, East Sussex of the former training centre, known as Northeye , and barracks in Catterick Garrison, will be used to house new arrivals rather than rehouse those currently in hotels.
