Responding to an investigation by the National Audit Office published today, 15 November 2024, which showed that the Home Office paid £15m for an asbestos-contaminated site it intended to use as asylum accommodation, Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said:

“It is truly shocking that so much taxpayer money was wasted on buying a site that was contaminated and completely unusable. This reveals the scale of the chaos left in the asylum system by the last Government.

“The new Government needs to learn from these mistakes and create an asylum system that delivers value for money while treating people with dignity. This must include a complete overhaul of the asylum accommodation system which sees an end to private companies pocketing billions every year for providing unsuitable housing and instead empowers local communities and councils to deliver this service.”