Asylum Dispersal
Asylum dispersal is the policy of providing destitute asylum seekers with support and accommodation. The accommodation aspect of this support is provided on a no choice basis to local authorities who have agreed to be an asylum dispersal area.
Accommodation is currently sourced under what are known as the AAST (Asylum Accommodation and Support Transformation) contracts which are overseen by the Home Office. The contract holder for the South West is Clearsprings Ready Homes, who operate the procurement and delivery of dispersal accommodation in the participating local authorities.
The SW SMP support asylum in the region by hosting a quarterly asylum forum meeting, which is attended by all local government and voluntary sector organisations representatives and partner agencies including; Home Office, Clearsprings, Migrant Help, DWP, Health. Please get in touch with info@swcouncils.gov.uk for further information.
No Recourse to Public Funds is also regular discussed at the asylum forum with updates provided by the NRPF Network.
Data Resourses
Every quarter, the Office for National Statistics collates data relating to migration, which includes Home Office data about the number of applications for asylum made in the UK. Please follow this link to access the most recent data release: ONS
Under EU legislation, the UK is required to submit monthly data relating to asylum applications, including dependants, received and pending, two months after the reference period.
Please follow this link to access the most recent table and those going back to 2006: Monthly asylum applications
Resettlement Scheme
Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC)
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Find out about membership
To find out more about SW Councils’ membership, visit our membership page.