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Search for press releasesNew Five Year Accommodation Contracts Signed
24 March 2006
Accommodation services for asylum seekers in need of housing will be provided for a further five years under new regional contracts awarded by the Home Office.
The Government has signed contracts with nine private companies to provide accommodation to asylum seekers through the National Asylum Support Service (NASS). A further nine public sector organisations are in the final stages of signing regional contracts and will be announced in due course.
The names of the contractors are: Angel London Limited, Astonbrook Housing Association; Clearsprings (Management) Ltd.; Happy Homes; Kimberley Housing Group; Priority Properties North West Ltd.; Refugee Housing Association; United Property Management and YMCA Glasgow.
Immigration Minister Tony McNulty said:
"I am pleased to be able to announce today the names of the successful contractors who were appointed following an open and fair competition to provide essential housing for individuals seeking asylum in the UK.
"We take our responsibilities to the UK public, local communities and asylum seekers seriously and I believe it is important that we provide safe and decent accommodation to those individuals in need as they pass through the asylum process.
"We have seen the number of people applying for NASS support (accommodation and subsistence) falling and a reduction in the number receiving NASS support of 23 per cent between the end of 2004 (66,705) and the end of 2005 (51,040).
"The Government is also committed to ensuring that it has in place a firm but fair asylum policy as set out in its five year strategy for asylum and immigration published in 2005.
"We have dramatically cut the number of unfounded asylum claims in the UK. Since their peak in 2002 there were fewer applications for asylum in 2005 (25,720, excluding dependants) than in any year since 1994. Meanwhile, we are continuing to increase the number of failed asylum seekers we remove from the UK, with figures in 2005 showing a growing trend."
The new contracts are for the provision of accommodation for around 35,000 asylum seekers with a total value of approximately £135 million per year to provide this support. The new contracts build on NASS’s experience to date, ensuring value for money for the taxpayer through securing better value-for-money contracts and greater flexibility, where if future need declines costs are reduced.
The Government is committed to keeping costs to the taxpayer down and to provide accommodation in areas with a low demand for housing to prevent a burden being placed on London and the South East. When dispersing asylum seekers across the UK, work is carried out with communities and local authorities to take into account community cohesion issues.
One of the aims of the contracts has been to ensure that there is minimum disruption for those currently accommodated by NASS, who may need to move home under the new contracts, while balancing this against ensuring value for money.
While some asylum seekers will be required to move home, NASS will work closely with its providers and regional stakeholders to ensure that any disruption is kept to a minimum.
Notes to Editors
- In some regions more than one contract has been signed to provide the necessary level of housing provision.
Details of regions covered by each of the private housing providers under new contracts awarded by the Home Office Region Provider 1 Provider 2 Provider 3 East of England Clearsprings (Management) Ltd - - East Midlands Priority Properties North West Ltd Refugee Housing Association - London Clearsprings (Management) Ltd United Property Management - North East Angel London Ltd Kimberley Housing Group - North West Happy Homes Priority Properties North West Ltd United Property Management Scotland Angel London Limited YMCA Glasgow - South Central and East Clearsprings (Management) Ltd - - South West Astonbrook Housing Association Clearsprings (Management) Ltd - Wales Astonbrook Housing Association Clearsprings (Management) Ltd - West Midlands Astonbrook Housing Association Priority Properties North West Ltd United Property Management Yorkshire & Humberside Astonbrook Housing Association Priority Properties North West Ltd United Property Management
- The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) is part of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office.
