Home Office Admits Military Asylum Sites Will Strain Police Resources
The Home Office has formally acknowledged that police forces across the United Kingdom will require additional financial support to manage the operational pressures arising from large-scale asylum accommodation sites, particularly those established on former military bases. This admission comes as the government presses ahead with its controversial strategy to house migrants in such locations, despite warnings that these sites may ultimately prove more costly than the much-criticised asylum hotel system.
Sussex Police Seek Funding for Crowborough Camp Pressures
Sussex Police have confirmed they are actively engaged in discussions with the Home Office to secure extra funding, specifically to cover the additional costs associated with the Crowborough army base in East Sussex. The barracks, which previously accommodated Afghan families under evacuation schemes, is now slated to house over 500 asylum seekers. The first group of 27 individuals was moved onto the site at the end of January this year.
Asylum seekers will reside at Crowborough for approximately three months while their claims undergo processing. Local councillors have stated they received assurances that the site's use for this purpose would be limited to one year. However, the immediate impact on local policing resources has prompted urgent financial negotiations.
Updated Guidance and Expanding Site Network
In response to these emerging challenges, the Home Office has updated its official guidance on funding assistance for policing large asylum sites. The revised policy aims to ensure all police forces are covered, moving beyond a previous framework that applied only to specific, designated locations. This change aligns with the government's broader objective to expand the number of areas used for migrant accommodation, shifting away from reliance on hotels.
Recent data shows the number of migrants housed in hotels has decreased by 19 percent year-on-year, standing at 30,657. Conversely, the number of people in contingency or dispersal accommodation, such as shared flats, has slightly increased. As of 31 December 2025, 72,769 individuals were housed in Home Office accommodation other than hotels, marking a 2 percent rise from 2024.
Community Tensions and Protest Movements
The use of the Crowborough military site has sparked significant local opposition, culminating in several demonstrations this year. Protesters marched through the town recently after a High Court judge ruled that the government's decision to utilise the base could not be legally challenged. While the marches have been composed largely of aggrieved local residents, there have been reports of far-right elements, including activists from the Operation Raise the Colours movement, seeking to exploit the situation and heighten tensions. Some individuals from this group have previously faced bans by French authorities due to harassment of migrants in northern France.
This pattern of protest is not isolated. Migrant hotels have become flashpoints for violent demonstrations over the past two summers, placing the Labour government under considerable political pressure to end their use. In a separate legal case, Epping Forest District Council went to court last summer over a protest-hit migrant hotel, describing it as a "feeding ground for unrest." Although the council lost its bid for an injunction, it will seek permission to appeal the decision at the Court of Appeal.
Precedent for Police Funding and Other Sites
The issue of policing costs for asylum sites is not new. Other police forces have previously received government funding to manage similar pressures:
- Essex Police Force received £267,569 for policing the Wethersfield asylum camp.
- Dorset Police force was granted £746,888 to assist with the Bibby Stockholm barge.
- Under the previous Conservative government, Lincolnshire police were allocated £1.8 million to recruit extra officers for the planned use of RAF Scampton. Notably, this former airbase, famous for its Dambusters role, was never actually used to house migrants, with the plans being scrapped last year.
The Home Office also intends to use Cameron Barracks in Inverness to accommodate around 300 asylum seekers, although planning regulations have delayed its operational start. Scottish politicians have pointed out that, under Scottish law, council approval would be required for a change of use from barracks to hostel if the facility is used for longer than six months.
Welfare Concerns at Existing Sites
Concerns extend beyond policing to the welfare of asylum seekers themselves. The Wethersfield former military base in Essex, currently in use as a large asylum site, has been the location of hundreds of reported incidents. Freedom of information data revealed that in 2024 alone, staff were required to report 430 incidents to the Home Office. These reports are mandated when asylum seekers suffer serious injury, accident, or illness, or in cases of violent or aggressive behaviour that threatens staff safety. The Independent newspaper previously revealed that incidents at the camp included self-harm and suicide attempts.
Official Statements and Government Position
A spokesperson for Sussex Police stated: "We recognise the impact of this additional policing demand and are committed to keeping the public safe across the whole of Sussex. We are working with the Home Office to seek additional funding, and these discussions are ongoing."
A Home Office spokesperson reiterated the government's stance: "We are furious at the level of illegal migrants and asylum hotels. The government is removing the incentives drawing illegal migrants to Britain. That is why we will close every single asylum hotel, moving asylum seekers into basic accommodation like Crowborough."
The ongoing discussions between police forces and the Home Office highlight the complex logistical and financial challenges inherent in the government's asylum accommodation strategy, as it transitions from a hotel-based model to one centred on larger, often isolated sites like disused military installations.
