County's pause on new asylum seeker housing lifted
BBCA pause on buying new housing for asylum seekers in a county has been lifted.
In June 2025, the Home Office temporarily halted the purchase of accommodation in County Durham because it believed it had "sufficient capacity" in the region.
But it said it has now instructed contractor Mears to start sourcing properties again after a review found an additional 100 to 150 bed spaces were needed in the area.
The Home Office said local concerns were central to its immigration reforms.
The government has a legal obligation to provide accommodation to those who would otherwise be destitute while they wait for their asylum claims to be processed.
The housing is provided by contractors paid for by the Home Office.
In 2022 it introduced policy which meant all local authorities would be expected to take in asylum seekers proportional to their population size by 2029.
People cannot decide where they are sent around the country for accommodation except in "exceptional circumstances", according to the Home Office.
'Measured approach'
In a letter first published online by Durham County Council's deputy leader Darren Grimes, the Home Office said it had told the authority some of the asylum seeker housing its contractor had purchased in the region, before last year's pause, had fallen through.
This meant it was "no longer possible to continue with the pause", which it said had also been put in place due to concerns over "community cohesion", and up to 150 new bed spaces would need to be found.
It said: "Mears expect new properties to come online at a much slower pace, reflecting a more controlled and measured approach to delivery."
A spokesperson said it had been clear with the council the halt had been temporary, and the "concerns of local communities remain central to our immigration reforms".
Mears said it notified local authorities of the properties it was considering leasing.
The move follows the Home Office trying to reverse the pause earlier this year. It backed down amid concerns over a lack of communication around the decision.
As of December 2025, there were 556 individuals in asylum seeker housing in County Durham, which is home to about 538,000 people, according to latest Home Office statistics, making up about 0.1% of the population.
Meanwhile Newcastle provides housing to 1,109 asylum seekers - about 0.35% of the city's total population.
