Under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office is responsible for providing accommodation for eligible asylum seekers through the national dispersal system. Local authorities, including Conwy County Borough Council, work with the Home Office and other partners to understand local impacts, raise concerns where appropriate, and help ensure that accommodation is safe, well managed, and supports community wellbeing.
For further information about seeking sanctuary in Wales, please see this document.
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The Home Office has a legal duty to provide accommodation for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while their asylum claims are being considered. Under the UK's asylum dispersal policy, people seeking asylum are housed across different local authority areas to ensure accommodation responsibilities are shared more evenly across the country.
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Shared accommodation provides a safe place to live for people who have no access to public funds and cannot support themselves while their asylum claim is being assessed. It helps prevent homelessness and provides basic accommodation until a decision is made on their immigration status.
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The Home Office is responsible for deciding where asylum seekers are accommodated. Local authorities are consulted as part of the process, but the Home Office has the legal responsibility for providing asylum accommodation and managing the dispersal system.
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Timescales vary depending on Home Office decisions, property availability, and contractual arrangements with accommodation providers. The local authority may not receive a final decision until the Home Office completes its assessment and confirms whether a property will be used.
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The Home Office generally restricts the release of information about specific properties before occupation. This is intended to protect the safety and privacy of both residents and asylum seekers and to reduce the risk of protests, intimidation, or criminal damage. However, the local authority may be able to provide general information were permitted by Home Office guidance.
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The local authority must follow Home Office guidance, data protection requirements, and information governance procedures when sharing information about proposed asylum accommodation. In some cases, information may be classified as OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE, meaning it can only be shared with individuals who have a legitimate business need to know and must not be shared publicly or distributed beyond relevant parties. What information can be communicated, and when, will depend on the stage of the process, commercial confidentiality considerations, any specific instructions from the Home Office, and the need to protect the safety, privacy, and integrity of the process.
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The local authority will provide information when it is legally able to do so and when doing so will not prejudice the Home Office process. Where information is classified as OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE, elected members, officers, and partner organisations must treat it accordingly and only share it with individuals who have a legitimate business need to know. Information must not be shared publicly or distributed beyond relevant parties until it can be lawfully and appropriately released. Opportunities for engagement and wider public discussion will be considered in line with Home Office guidance, local circumstances, confidentiality requirements, and the stage of the process.
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The local authority welcomes feedback from residents, elected members, community groups, and partner agencies. Where information relating to proposals is classified as OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE, discussions and responses will be limited to individuals with a legitimate business need to know and managed in accordance with applicable information-sharing restrictions. Where the Home Office seeks views from the Council, local concerns regarding community impact, public confidence, housing pressures, service demand, and community wellbeing can be considered and reflected in the Council's response. Any feedback received will be taken into account within the scope of the Council's role and the information available at the time.
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The local authority has responsibilities under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 to consider the social, economic, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of communities. Potential impacts on community cohesion and local services are considered whenever relevant information is provided to the Council.
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The local authority works with housing providers, community safety teams, environmental health services, health partners, and North Wales Police to help ensure that accommodation meets required standards and that any concerns raised by residents are appropriately addressed.
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No. There is no evidence that anti-social behaviour automatically results from asylum accommodation. However, where incidents occur, they are dealt with using the same laws, policies, and enforcement powers that apply to all residents.
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Concerns can be reported to:
- North Wales Police.
- Community Safety teams.
- Environmental Health.
- Housing providers.
- The local authority’s Community Inclusion and Resettlement Team
Reports are investigated and action may be taken where appropriate.
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Accommodation providers must comply with Home Office accommodation standards and housing legislation. Properties are assessed for suitability, and occupancy levels must meet legal requirements.
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Properties must meet relevant fire safety requirements, which may include:
- Smoke and fire alarm systems.
- Safe escape routes.
- Fire-resistant doors where required.
- Regular inspections and maintenance.
Accommodation providers are responsible for ensuring these standards are maintained.
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Different organisations have different responsibilities:
- The Home Office oversees asylum accommodation contracts.
- Accommodation providers manage the property and residents.
- The local authority may investigate certain housing or environmental concerns.
- The Police deal with criminal activity where necessary.<.li>
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The Home Office has a statutory duty to accommodate eligible asylum seekers. Decisions are based on legal requirements, accommodation availability, operational need, and national dispersal arrangements. Community views are important and are considered, but they are one factor among several considerations.
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Residents can:
- Contact the Council.
- Contact their local councillor.
- Report anti-social behaviour to North Wales Police.
- Submit concerns through appropriate Council services.
- Attend public meetings or engagement events if these are arranged.