Council leader denies Aylesbury asylum seeker accommodation rumours

(BUCKINGHAMSHIRE) Buckinghamshire Council moved to calm local fears on August 22, 2025, stating there are no asylum seeker hotels in Aylesbury or anywhere in Buckinghamshire, and none are planned. The Home Office backed the statement, and an earlier Freedom of Information response shows the county had zero hotels under contract for asylum accommodation at the start of the year. The council also said rumours about the QD building being repurposed to house asylum seekers are untrue.

Leader Martin Tett said the council remains transparent with residents and will share updates if anything changes. He stressed that while the authority must accept a small number of people seeking asylum—mainly families—none are placed in hotels. No hotels in Buckinghamshire are being used to house asylum seekers, and there are no plans to open any.

Council statement and Home Office position

On August 22, 2025, Buckinghamshire Council confirmed four points addressing Aylesbury rumours:

• No hotels in Buckinghamshire are being used for asylum accommodation.
• The Home Office has no plans to set up new asylum accommodation facilities in the county.
• The council is legally required to accept a small number of arrivals, mainly families, but none are housed in hotels.
• The Home Office confirmed the QD building in Aylesbury is not under consideration and has not been approached for asylum use.

An FOI response dated January 2025 recorded zero hotels under contract for asylum accommodation in Buckinghamshire, aligning with the council’s statement. The county’s last known asylum hotel—the Best Western in Buckingham—closed in November 2023, and no replacement facilities have opened since.

Council officers say they coordinate with the NHS, police, community safety teams, and school admissions whenever the Home Office proposes placements. Local ward councillors are looped in for each case.

National context and local impact

Since 2023, UK policy has reduced reliance on hotels and pushed toward private rentals and shared houses. Expert analysis from the Migration Observatory at Oxford describes a steady move to longer-term options, with hotels now a smaller part of the system outside London and the South East by March 2025.

Financial pressure has driven sharper management of the remaining sites. Between April 2024 and March 2025 the Home Office:

• Increased occupancy per hotel, and
• Cut the average nightly rate from £162 to £119.

Large sites, including former military barracks, account for only a small share of placements nationally.

For residents in Aylesbury and across Buckinghamshire, the practical result is straightforward: there is no immediate or planned impact from hotel-based asylum accommodation. People who have claimed asylum and are already in the county are in private settings, and the council says these are mainly families.

Rumours, process, and community guidance

The council links recent anxiety to news from other parts of the country. Officials say stories that circulate online can be copied from different towns and then applied locally, even when the facts do not match. That appears to be the case with the QD building rumour in Aylesbury, which the Home Office has specifically rejected.

When the Home Office does propose placements, Buckinghamshire Council follows a structured process to test the impact on local services and safety. The process matters to schools, clinics, and neighbours:

1. Council officers consult the NHS, police, and community safety teams and review any site risks.
2. School admissions staff assess nearby capacity so children can get places.
3. Local ward councillors are informed and included in discussions.

Residents who want updates are urged to contact their ward councillor through the Buckinghamshire Council website. Officials also point to the Home Office for national policy information and FOI contacts; the department’s main portal is here: Home Office.

Community leaders say calm, accurate information protects neighbours and asylum seekers alike. The council’s message is direct: check official channels, not social media hearsay, before sharing a claim.

This local picture also mirrors ongoing national coverage. For readers seeking broader reporting on asylum housing trends, VisaVerge.com offers ongoing coverage.

Practical concerns for local services and community groups

Parents in Aylesbury have asked schools whether sudden arrivals could affect class sizes. Council officers say they assess capacity early to avoid shortfalls. Health providers raise similar questions about GP lists; the council says it engages with local NHS partners before any placement goes ahead.

For community groups that support refugees, planning for translation services, school uniforms, and travel passes depends on timely and accurate notices. With no hotels in use and no new facilities planned, those groups can focus attention on families already settled in private homes.

Some residents have asked about large sites, including former barracks, after reading news from other regions. The council says none are in use or planned in Buckinghamshire. Nationally, only a small number of people are placed in such sites today, and that share has been shrinking.

It’s also worth noting how language shapes feelings. Calling someone an “asylum seeker” simply means they’ve asked the UK for protection and are waiting for a decision. Many are parents and children who have fled danger. The council’s focus on families in private homes reflects that reality in Buckinghamshire.

Key takeaways and next steps

There are no asylum seeker hotels or planned asylum accommodation facilities in Aylesbury or anywhere in Buckinghamshire.
The Home Office has confirmed it is not considering the QD building, and an FOI response earlier this year records zero hotels under contract for the county.

If anything changes, the council says it will tell residents first. Until then, residents can:

• Check council updates regularly.
• Speak with their ward councillors for local information.
• Rely on official Home Office posts for national policy updates: Home Office.

Sharing verified information helps neighbours, local services, and every asylum seeker family already living in Buckinghamshire.