'Unprecedented pressure': Glasgow takes more asylum seekers than any UK council

Glasgow City Council is at risk of “buckling under the strain” of Labour continuing hostile immigration policies after it was revealed the city is accommodating more asylum seekers than any other UK local authority amid support pleas.

The leader of the council has called on the Home Office to do more after the latest statistics found Glasgow was accommodating 4,075 asylum seekers, as of September.

Glasgow is accommodating more asylum seekers than any other UK authority Credit: Getty Images | Getty Images

The city is Scotland’s only dispersal city for asylum seekers, but has taken in considerably more asylum seekers than Hillingdon in London on 2,719, ahead of Liverpool on 2,612, Birmingham on 2,476 and Manchester on 2,084.

Labour has focused on quickly working through the backlog so asylum seekers have their cases determined quicker. But once they have been granted leave to remain status, asylum seekers have just 28 days to leave their accommodation and find somewhere to live - with many left with no choice but to declare themselves homeless.

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Leader of Glasgow City Council, Susan Aitken, said: “We remain proud of Glasgow’s record in providing sanctuary to those fleeing war, famine and persecution. And over recent decades our city has been greatly enriched by its role as Scotland’s sole dispersal city.

“But the current Home Office approach of processing high numbers of asylum applications without providing the support to assist those receiving positive decisions is putting unprecedented pressures on housing supply and homelessness services. It’s costing the city tens of millions. The scale of those pressures can be seen in the numbers of asylum seekers arriving in Glasgow compared with other major UK cities.”

Susan Aitken

“Once again we extend our offer to work with the Home Office to find a different way to process asylum claims which makes decisions quickly, limits the use of hotels, and enables asylum seekers to work.”

The Scottish Refugee Council has also raised concerns.

The charity’s policy specialist, Daniel O’Malley, said: “While there has been an increase in decisions since August, there are still 133,000 people seeking asylum caught up in the backlog of claims – with one third of those living in unsuitable hotel accommodation.

“Local authorities are still buckling under the strain brought by the previous regime’s hostile immigration policies and Home Office support is necessary to ensure that vulnerable people do not slip through the cracks when decisions are made.

“When a person is granted refugee protection, they should be thinking about how to rebuild their lives: instead they’re increasingly worried about where they’re going to sleep this winter.”

Read more: Home Office urged to bring 'immediate end' to Glasgow asylum hotels

Figures show that the UK’s asylum system now costs more than £5 billion a year, the highest level on record.

The total covers all Home Office asylum costs, including direct cash support and accommodation, plus wider staffing and other related migration and border activity.

A total of 133,409 people were waiting for an initial decision on an asylum application in the UK at the end of September 2024. This is a12 per cent increase from 118,882 at the end of June 2024, but down year-on-year by 19 per cent from 165,411 at the end of September 2023.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly, and fairly.

“We are committed to speeding up the asylum process and have taken urgent action to restart processing and clear the backlog, which will save an estimated £7 billion for the taxpayer over the next ten years.”