This week, the Home Office announced plans to introduce new 'capped safe and legal' routes for asylum seekers to arrive in the UK, while simultaneously pushing ahead with using military bases to house thousands of people and closing down costly hotels. The changes aim to restore public confidence in a system that has become a political flashpoint.
The current asylum system is under strain. As of March 2026, 20,885 asylum seekers (21%) were housed in hotels, down from a peak of 56,000 in September 2023. The government wants to stop using hotels altogether, describing them as costly and a focus for anti-migrant protests. Instead, it is turning to Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites. Three new military sites in Bicester (Oxfordshire), Barnham (Suffolk), and Linton-on-Ouse (North Yorkshire) could house about 3,750 asylum seekers if planning permission is granted. Existing sites at Crowborough, East Sussex and Wethersfield, Essex are already in use, with plans to extend them until 2030 and beyond 2027 respectively. The Home Office says these ex-military sites are "a far cry from the hotels" and part of a system "being brought back under control".
“Explains the UK asylum system changes: new safe routes, military bases, and hotel closures.”
Alongside accommodation changes, the government is overhauling how people can enter the UK to claim asylum. The new 'capped safe and legal' routes will allow organisations such as universities, community groups and businesses to sponsor refugees – a model based on Canada's system. A university route will open later this year, with the first arrivals expected in 2027, and a refugee work route will follow in 2027. The Home Office said it will set a cap—starting low—and will strictly vet sponsoring organisations. Applicants will undergo checks. The government says this will protect "genuine refugees" while closing loopholes that have been abused. It is also reforming how the European Convention on Human Rights and the Modern Slavery Act apply to asylum claims, aiming to reduce what it calls vexatious appeals.
Why does this matter for UK readers? The asylum system affects local communities where accommodation sites are proposed, public spending on hotels (which cost taxpayers millions), and the UK's international reputation. The changes could also reduce the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats, which has undermined public confidence. However, the use of military bases has sparked local opposition—for example, in Bicester, a local MP questioned how 1,250 asylum seekers could be absorbed into a community where the nearest village has only 370 residents. Protests have already led to one scheme at Cameron Barracks in Inverness being dropped.
Q: Who can sponsor a refugee under the new routes? Universities, community groups, and businesses will be able to sponsor refugees. The Home Office will control which organisations are approved and will carry out strict checks on all applicants.
Q: Why is the government using military bases for asylum seekers? The government wants to stop using hotels, which are expensive and have become a focal point for protests. It says military bases are cheaper and more suitable, despite practical difficulties and opposition from local residents and human rights groups.
Q: When will the new asylum routes open? Applications for the university route will open later this year, with the first arrivals in 2027. The refugee work route is expected to open next year.
What happens next? The Home Office will seek planning permission for the three new military sites. The immigration bill, which includes the new safe routes and human rights changes, will be debated in the Commons and may face opposition from some Labour MPs. The government has not yet set a cap on numbers for the new routes, but says it will start from a low base.