The first of 500 illegal migrants have been moved to a military base in East Sussex as part of plans to end the use of asylum seekers hotels, the Home Office has said.
27 asylum seekers were moved to the Crowborough military barracks in East Sussex on Wednesday.
The former base will house single, male asylum seekers for up to three months while their claims are processed, although there has been local opposition to the plan.
The Government announced plans to scale up the use of military sites to house thousands of illegal migrants under plans to end the use of asylum hotels by 2029.
The Home Office has said that moving to large sites such as Crowborough will help tackle illegal immigration and reduce the pull factors encouraging people to cross the Channel in small boats and enter the UK illegally to claim asylum.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Illegal migration has been placing immense pressure on communities.
“That is why we are removing the incentives that draw illegal migrants to Britain, closing asylum hotels that are blighting communities.
“Crowborough is just the start. I will bring forward site after site until every asylum hotel is closed and returned to local communities.”
Following the announcement of the plans, there have been regular protests against the site.
Tables and chairs in a communal space at Crowborough training camp (Photo: Home Office/PA) A shower cubicle at Crowborough training camp, where the first 27 illegal migrants have now moved in (Photo: Home Office/PA)Wealden District Council leader James Partridge previously said housing asylum seekers at Crowborough was the wrong decision.
Latest Home Office figures show the number of asylum seekers being temporarily housed in hotels increased by 13 per cent to 36,273 at the end of September.
The camp is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and was used by Army cadets from across the country.
There are also plans to use Cameron Barracks in Inverness to house asylum seekers, with the two sites providing accommodation for a combined total of 900 people.
The Government is also looking at other military and industrial sites, including temporary facilities and disused accommodation.
The i Paper reported at the start of January that empty homes, office blocks and student halls could be used to house asylum seekers.
Up to 500 migrants will be housed in the former base (Photo: Home Office) An aerial view of buildings at Crowborough army training camp on October 28, 2025 in Crowborough, England (Photo: Carl Court/Getty)Around 200 local authorities want to participate in a £200m Government pilot project giving them money to build new housing or refurbish derelict properties for asylum seekers.
A damning cross-party report found that billions of pounds had been “squandered” on asylum accommodation by Home Office mismanagement.
There are 200 asylum hotels currently in use but the Home Office has said that overall asylum costs have reduced by 15 per cent, which has saved more than half a billion in hotel spending in 2025.
The Home Affairs Committee reported that expected costs of accommodation contracts for 2019-29 tripled from £4.5bn to £15.3bn after a “dramatic increase” in demand following the pandemic, and a huge spike in small boat crossings.
The government faced backlash last summer after protests took place across the UK outside of hotels housing asylum seekers.
The nationwide protests came after the Government overturned a a High Court ruling won by Epping Council which declared the Bell Hotel could no longer house asylum seekers.
So far this year, 36,954 migrants have crossed the Channel on small boats, more than the whole number who arrived in 2024.
Hence then, the article about the pictures that show what life will be like for migrants in sussex military camp was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The pictures that show what life will be like for migrants in Sussex military camp )
Also on site :
- ‘Free Bert’ Review: Bert Kreischer Strips Away the Shirtless Party Boy Persona, but Also the Laughs, in New Netflix Comedy
- Karamo Brown Fell Out With 'Queer Eye' Co-Stars After Hot Mic Incident
- San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee detained by immigration agents at LAX Airport, Rep. Nancy Pelosi's office says