Government Plans Review Use of Ex-RAF Bases for Asylum Housing

The UK government is reconsidering the use of former military sites, including RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, to house asylum seekers as part of efforts to end the use of hotels for temporary accommodation. RAF Scampton, previously earmarked by the Conservative government to house up to 2,000 migrants before the plan was scrapped by Labour due to cost concerns, remains a potential option. Defence Minister Luke Pollard emphasized that all sites, military and non-military, are being reviewed again, despite local opposition and campaigns such as Save Our Scampton expressing strong resistance. Critics, including the Refugee Council, argue that former military camps are costly and ineffective, advocating instead for faster, fairer asylum decisions and community-based housing. The failed attempt to use RAF Scampton reportedly cost the Home Office at least £48 million without housing any migrants, highlighting the financial and social challenges of such plans. The government faces a complex balance between addressing increased asylum seeker arrivals and managing local and political opposition to military site accommodations.