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Asylum accommodation

Inquiry

The Home Office has an obligation to provide accommodation to asylum seekers while their cases are resolved, and to transport them to this accommodation. The former UK Border Agency spent £150 million on providing accommodation to asylum seekers in 2011-12.
In May 2012, the Home Office replaced its previous suppliers (21 separate contracts with 10 housing providers) with six new asylum housing contracts collectively called COMPASS (Commercial and Operating Managers Procuring Asylum Support). These new contracts are provided by three suppliers (G4S, Serco and Clearel) with each covering two regions of the UK. Following a transition period, the contracts became fully operational by January 2013. The Home Office anticipates that it will save around £150 million over five years through the introduction of these new contracts.

Related material:

Reports, special reports and government responses

View all reports and responses
54th Report - COMPASS: Provision of asylum accommodation
Inquiry Asylum accommodation
HC 1000
Report
Response to this report
COMPASS: provision of asylum accommodation: government response to the Committee's Fifty-fourth Report of Session 2013-14
CM 8871
Government Response

Oral evidence transcripts

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5 February 2014
Inquiry Asylum accommodation
Witnesses James Thorburn, Managing Director, Home Affairs, Serco, Stephen Small, Managing Director, Immigration and Borders, G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Limited, and James Vyvyan-Roberts, Managing Director, Clearsprings; Mark Sedwill, Permanent Secretary, John Fernau, Commercial Director, and Glyn Williams, Director of Asylum, Home Office (at 3.00 pm).
Oral Evidence
Home Office (ASY0001)

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