Andy Burnham Says All Parts of the Country Must Provide Homes for Asylum Seekers, but the Reason He Gave Has Sparked a Big Debate

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has warned that more asylum seekers could be housed in towns and villages that have so far taken very few people. This could include quieter and wealthier parts of southern England, where more houses of multiple occupation, commonly known as HMOs, may be opened.

Mr Burnham said it is unfair for poorer communities to carry most of the pressure created by asylum accommodation. He believes every part of the country should accept some responsibility instead of leaving a small number of areas to deal with most of the demand.

He said: “We cannot have a situation where only the poorest communities in the country receive most of the refugees and asylum seekers. I believe every part of the country needs to play its part. It is a challenging issue.”

His comments suggest that the Government may look for more properties in areas that have largely avoided asylum accommodation until now. This could lead to ordinary houses being converted into HMOs, where several unrelated people live in the same building and share facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms.

The plans are likely to worry residents who are already concerned about pressure on housing, GP appointments, schools, public transport and other local services. Some people may also fear that large numbers of newcomers could be moved into small communities without enough consultation or information being given to those who already live there.

Mr Burnham was asked about a campaign opposing asylum accommodation in the Oxfordshire village of Piddington. He said he had recently become aware of the dispute and promised to listen to the concerns raised by local residents.

He explained that he did not yet know every detail of the situation but understood that some of the concerns were connected to HMOs and the need to provide safe and properly managed accommodation.

Mr Burnham said the matter would be difficult, but he was willing to speak to residents and examine any reasonable concerns they raised. He added that the Government understood why people were worried and promised to look more closely at the situation in Piddington.

The Home Office has admitted that the number of asylum seekers being housed is not shared equally across Britain. The North East and North West of England are currently accommodating a much larger share than many other regions.

Government plans reportedly identified enough possible accommodation for 114,791 asylum seekers across the country. Around 68,151 people have already been placed in accommodation, while another 66,021 are waiting to be housed.

Both the North East and North West have already gone beyond the numbers originally planned for them. Despite this, the two regions may still be asked to find accommodation for around 2,000 more people.

The West Midlands is also expected to go above its planned figure. The region was supposed to house 10,944 asylum seekers, but 9,086 are already living there. A further 4,930 people are waiting for accommodation, meaning the total could rise far beyond the original target if all of them are placed in the region.

These figures have increased calls for the Government to spread asylum accommodation more evenly across the country. However, moving people into areas that have not previously housed large numbers of asylum seekers could create new opposition, especially in small towns and villages where residents believe local services are already stretched.

The warning comes as the Government faces growing pressure over the continuing number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats. Labour’s plans to tackle the crisis were heavily criticised after smugglers reportedly sent 230 people across the Channel in one large, 15-metre-long dinghy.

Speaking about pictures of the overcrowded vessel, Mr Burnham admitted that many people would have been worried by what they saw. He said the images showed that people-smuggling gangs were changing the way they operated.

However, the Prime Minister insisted that the Government would also change its approach. He promised that officials would continue pursuing the criminal gangs responsible for organising the dangerous crossings.

Mr Burnham said he had already made this promise during a recent visit to Dover and insisted that he intended to keep it. He said the Government would remain focused on tackling the gangs, responding to public concerns and finding a fairer way to provide accommodation for those awaiting decisions on their asylum claims.