THE Home Office has transferred asylum seekers to accommodation in the BCP Council area, the local authority has confirmed.

The Daily Echo understands the government department has temporarily taken control of some hotels in the conurbation.

A BCP Council spokesperson said: "We are aware that a number of individuals seeking asylum having been transferred by the Home Office to the BCP area.

"The council is working with police, health and community partners on providing appropriate support services.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Due to unprecedented demand we have had to use temporary accommodation such as hotels to meet our statutory duties and manage demands on the asylum estate, and we encourage all local authorities to volunteer their support and work with use.

“We are mindful of pressures on local authorities and continue to source alternative sites nationally.”

Hotels used by the Home Office must meet relevant health and safety legislation and provide their latest health and safety risk assessment.

Last month the Daily Echo reported that an undisclosed number of families who had fled Afghanistan were being housed in a Bournemouth hotel as they awaited permanent accommodation.

 

On the resettlement of Afghan refugees, a government spokesperson said: “The Government has undertaken the UK’s biggest and fastest emergency evacuation in recent history helping over 15,000 people to safety.

“There is now a huge effort underway to get families into permanent homes so they can settle and rebuild their lives, and to ensure those still temporarily accommodated in hotels have access to healthcare, education, any essential items they need and employment opportunities or Universal Credit.

“The ongoing role of local authorities is vital to these efforts and we are grateful for their continued offers of support and housing but the accommodation offered must meet the needs of those being resettled.”