Swinney Backs Pause on New Asylum Arrivals in Glasgow

First, list of detected linkable resources in order of appearance:
1. UK Home Office guidance on claiming asylum (policy, mentioned 1 time)
2. https://www.gov.uk/claim-asylum (form, mentioned 1 time)

I have added verified .gov links for the first mention of each resource in the article body, using the exact resource names. No other changes were made.

(GLASGOW) Scottish First Minister John Swinney said a temporary pause on new asylum seekers arriving in Glasgow “has got to be put in place,” confirming a shift in the Scottish Government’s approach as the city struggles with rising costs and limited housing. Swinney told Sky News the change reflects pressures on services and funding. Local leaders say the system is stretched to breaking point, and they warn that without relief, both newcomers and long‑time residents will face harsher conditions.

Pressure on Glasgow’s asylum system

Glasgow City Council, led by an SNP administration, has described the current situation as financially “unsustainable.” Officials estimate Scotland spends £250 million each year, with about £41,000 per person to house and support people seeking protection.

As Scotland’s main dispersal area, Glasgow has carried a heavier load than other councils. Caseworkers say the shortage of suitable homes is now the central bottleneck.

The crisis has been sharpened by changes to the “move‑on” period for newly recognized refugees. The UK Government reduced the time from 28 days, a window charities like the British Red Cross already considered too short for people to secure housing, benefits, and work. In practice, this means more people fall into homelessness just as they leave asylum support, pushing extra pressure onto local authorities, housing associations, and overstretched hostels.

Demand keeps rising:

• In the year to June 2025, there were nearly 90,000 asylum applications across the UK, according to official figures cited by local officials.
• Around 50% arrived by irregular routes, including small boats, lorries, or containers.
• Since Labour took office, applications have grown by 17% compared to the previous year.

Glasgow is seeing the downstream effects: more arrivals, longer stays in temporary accommodation, and higher costs for health, schooling, and social care.

Swinney’s call for a pause marks a notable turn. Throughout 2025, Scottish ministers argued Scotland could and should take more people seeking safety, and pushed for immigration powers to be devolved to Holyrood. That rhetoric has cooled as councils warn of empty budgets and rising homelessness. The First Minister’s remarks suggest the government now accepts that capacity, not just compassion, must guide short‑term decisions.

Political and legal backdrop

Tensions between Edinburgh and Westminster have grown. Scottish ministers say they repeatedly asked UK Government ministers to attend urgent talks on Glasgow’s pressures. In April 2025, the Scottish Refugee Council convened a round‑table with Glasgow City Council and invitations went to the Home Office. According to participants, UK Government ministers declined to attend. City leaders saw that as a missed chance to agree shared steps on housing, slower dispersal, and better planning.

These pressures sit within a wider constitutional debate. An SNP member introduced the Devolution (Immigration) (Scotland) Bill 2024‑2025 in April, seeking to give the Scottish Parliament powers over immigration policy. In July, the Scottish Government said the “only way” to shape a system that meets Scotland’s needs would be to devolve those powers.

However, documents released under Freedom of Information suggest the government may now be rethinking how, and how quickly, to pursue that course in light of practical constraints and funding realities.

Despite the strain, Scotland continues to fund support services:

• In 2024‑25, ministers provided £3.6 million for the Refugee Support Service, which helps refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced people settle into communities.
• Guardianship Scotland began a new three‑year contract on 1 April 2025 to support more than 1,000 unaccompanied asylum‑seeking children, with higher funding to match growing and more complex needs.

These services try to bridge gaps during long waits for decisions and the turbulent period after status is granted.

Policy disputes and practical impacts

Policy disagreements remain on several fronts:

• On 27 November 2024, the Scottish Government proposed giving asylum seekers the right to work after a set period, arguing that jobs would cut costs and help integration.
• In January 2025, the UK Government rejected the plan, saying it was “unable to commit to exploring feasibility of this proposal further at this time.” That response leaves many adults in limbo, reliant on limited support while barred from employment.

Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests a temporary pause in Glasgow would likely push the Home Office and its contractors to send new arrivals to hotels or housing in other UK cities, unless a national plan evens out placements. That could ease Glasgow’s costs in the short run but risks moving bottlenecks elsewhere unless extra housing and casework capacity comes online.

Families and advocates warn that any pause must come with clear safeguards. They call for:

• Exemptions for family reunion
• Protections for survivors of trafficking
• Care for people with urgent medical needs
• Firm review dates so a pause does not become an open‑ended freeze

Swinney has not set public conditions, but his emphasis on capacity suggests those details will shape how long any halt lasts.

Practical advice for people seeking protection

For people seeking protection, practical steps matter most. Charities advise:

• Keep documents safe
• Attend all appointments
• Seek help early from legal advisers and local services

Official guidance on how to claim asylum, including where to register and what evidence to bring, is available through the UK Home Office guidance on claiming asylum. People who recently received status should ask their caseworker, council, or local refugee charity about housing options well before asylum support ends.

Key questions if a pause is introduced

If a pause is introduced, residents, charities, and employers want answers to several pressing questions:

1. How long will the pause last, and will there be a formal review?
2. Will family reunion and urgent medical cases be exempt?
3. What funding will follow people moved to other areas?
4. How will the city prevent homelessness for those exiting asylum support?

Glasgow’s leaders say they are ready to work with the Home Office on a fairer dispersal model if funding and timelines improve. They argue that predictable placements, longer move‑on periods, and quicker decisions would cut hotel use and free up council homes.

Housing teams also want:

• More flexibility to use private rentals with safeguards
• Faster access to welfare for new refugees

Wider context and outlook

Swinney’s stance reflects a balancing act many cities face: keep a welcoming approach while protecting essential services. The figures are stark—£250 million in annual costs, £41,000 per person, and rising applications nationwide. Yet behind each number is a person who fled danger and now waits for stability.

Local schools, clinics, and community groups see both sides every day: the strain on budgets and the drive people have to rebuild.

Whether the pause goes ahead will depend on talks between Holyrood, Glasgow, and the UK Government. Officials say piecemeal fixes will not hold. Without more housing, steadier funding, and better coordination, the city’s asylum system will remain at risk of overflow, regardless of where people are sent next.

Key takeaway: Glasgow faces immediate capacity limits and rising costs. Any pause on new arrivals must be coupled with extra funding, clear exemptions, and short review timelines to avoid simply shifting the crisis elsewhere.