Asylum Dispersal in Barnsley: The Facts, The Figures and What It Could Mean for Residents
No rumours. No spin. Official Home Office data, Barnsley Council confirmations, and honest context.
There has been increasing national coverage around asylum dispersal reform and reports of £100 million being allocated to reform how asylum accommodation is delivered across the UK.
At the same time, residents across Barnsley are saying something else entirely:
“There are clearly more foreign individuals across the borough now than there were in the past, whatever the official figures say.”
That observation is not dismissed here.
Understandably, residents have asked a simple and fair question:
Could changes to asylum policy and accommodation reform affect Barnsley and our communities in the future?
So we have done what should always be done first.
We checked the data.
This case study is based on official Home Office statistics and Freedom of Information responses from Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.
But it is also important to be clear and honest:
👉 We accept that official figures can be framed, delayed, categorised or aggregated in ways that suit institutional narratives.
👉 We accept that statistics do not always reflect what people experience on the ground, day to day, where they live.
👉 We accept that Barnsley today is more diverse than it was in the past, regardless of how different categories are counted.
All of those statements can be true at the same time.
This is not blind faith in numbers.
It is evidence-led scrutiny, with eyes wide open.
What Is Asylum Dispersal
Asylum dispersal is a national Home Office policy, currently under review as part of wider UK asylum system reform, where people seeking asylum are housed across the UK while their claims are processed.
• People do not choose where they are placed
• Accommodation is arranged by the Home Office
• Councils do not control placement decisions
Crucially, dispersal figures only measure people still in the asylum system.
They do not include:
• Those granted leave to remain
• Migrants on work or family visas
• Students
• Long-term residents who have settled over time
Which is one reason why official numbers often feel disconnected from lived reality.
The Current Situation in Barnsley
Confirmed by Barnsley Council
As of September 2025:
• 253 asylum seekers are living in Barnsley under the current dispersal system
• No asylum hotels are operating in the borough
• Accommodation is provided by Mears Group under a Home Office contract
• Barnsley Council does not fund this housing
• Council housing is not used
These figures come directly from Barnsley Council FOI responses and Home Office records.
They are not claimed to be the whole picture of migration, only the official count for one specific category.
How Numbers Have Changed Over Time
Home Office quarterly snapshots show that asylum dispersal numbers in Barnsley do fluctuate:
• March 2024: 281
• June 2024: 270
• December 2024: 314
• June 2025: 253
• September 2025: 273
This confirms two important points:
Barnsley is already part of the dispersal system
Numbers rise and fall, rather than increasing endlessly
It also reinforces why single headline figures without context can mislead.
What the £100 Million Reform Story Actually Refers To
The £100 million figure relates to national asylum accommodation reform pilots, intended to reduce reliance on costly hotels and reform how dispersed housing is delivered.
Key facts:
• It is not £100 million for Barnsley
• Only selected councils are part of pilot reform schemes
• Barnsley is not currently listed as a pilot authority
However, all such reform funding is taxpayers’ money, regardless of which department spends it or how it is branded.
There is no such thing as government money.
There is only public money.
Could Further Reform Affect Barnsley
Potentially, yes — but context matters.
What could change:
• A stronger national push away from hotels
• Increased use of private rental stock
• Adjustments to dispersal quotas
What has not happened:
• No asylum hotels in Barnsley
• No council housing used
• No sudden large scale increase
Any future changes would remain Home Office decisions, not Barnsley Council policy.
What Residents Actually Feel
Regardless of categories or definitions, many residents feel that:
• The borough is more diverse than it once was
• Pressure on housing feels greater
• Access to services feels stretched
• Official explanations do not always align with lived experience
These feelings are not imagined, and they should not be brushed aside with statistics alone.
Data explains systems.
People experience outcomes.
Both matter.
Why This Matters
Reform without honesty is not reform.
Residents deserve:
• Clear distinctions between different types of migration
• Transparency about what figures do and do not show
• Proper scrutiny of public spending
• Facts presented without spin
That is why sources are published and why residents are encouraged to challenge them, check them and question them.
Our Position
We believe in:
• Evidence-led reform
• Open data
• Honest context
• Calm, factual discussion
• Accountability at every level
We are not aligned with any political party.
But we do believe the current system needs reform rooted in reality, not narrative management.
We have had enough spin.
We will not be hoodwinked.
And we certainly will not stand for being gaslit ever again.
Making common sense, common again.
David Wood Unfiltered
Barnsley First Independent Group
