Guidance

Wethersfield, Essex: factsheet

Updated 30 June 2026

Version 6.0

June 2026

1. What is happening with the Wethersfield site?

The Wethersfield site began accommodating asylum seekers in July 2023.

The Wethersfield site provides basic, safe accommodation for asylum seekers and is designed to be as self-sufficient as possible. The site was recently used as transitional accommodation for the Afghan Resettlement Programme.

The Home Office works closely with local authorities, police, and community partners to ensure the site operates safely and respectfully, with robust measures in place to support community cohesion and maintain public safety at all times.

2. How many people are accommodated at Wethersfield?

The Home Office does not give a live commentary on the number of asylum seekers accommodated at accommodation sites.

3. How long will Wethersfield operate as asylum accommodation?

The Home Office intend to extend usage of the site subject to appropriate planning permission.

Making use of existing basic accommodation on MoD sites such as the Wethersfield site is just the first step in the government’s work to exit hotels and source more appropriate accommodation to meet our statutory obligations.

4. Who runs the Wethersfield site?

Clearsprings Ready Homes, an experienced specialist in asylum accommodation services, has been appointed by the Home Office to manage the site. They are responsible for ensuring the safe and secure operation of the accommodation and for providing wraparound support that meets the essential health and wellbeing needs of the asylum seekers.

The Home Office works closely with various stakeholders to ensure accommodation is adequate, and functional.

5. Who resides at the Wethersfield site?

The site accommodates single adult male asylum seekers between the ages of 18 and 65. Asylum seekers arrive at the site following initial screening checks against policing and immigration databases. The majority of illegal migrants claiming asylum in the UK are single adult males.

6. How do the Home Office ensure public safety and security?

The safety and security of the local community, the staff who work there and those accommodated on the site is of the utmost importance. There is a specialist and experienced provider of security services permanently on site 24/7, as well as security systems including CCTV monitoring and recording.

The Home Office regularly works in collaboration with local authorities and other partners including Essex police to ensure that accommodation sites are successfully managed and the impact upon the local community is minimised.  This includes a comprehensive and ongoing approach to identifying and managing any public protection or safeguarding risks associated with individuals.

Mandatory security checks are conducted on all people seeking asylum through linking their biometric data to immigration, security, and criminality databases. This includes criminality checks for, amongst other things, convictions, pending prosecutions, wanted or missing reports, as well as fingerprints and photographs. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.

The Home Office also maintains regular engagement with representatives from the local authority, the NHS, the Police, and local partners, including via Multi Agency Forums to address the concerns of those most impacted by the site and to identify ways to keep them informed.

A community newsletter is uploaded to gov.uk on a regular basis to provide updates, the latest version of which is here Wethersfield: .

Read the Wethersfield community update newsletter: June 2026.

Read previous editions.

7. Will vulnerable people be accommodated at the site?  

Asylum seekers are allocated accommodation on a no choice basis, in line with Home Office published policy. If an individual’s needs cannot be met on site, and they are assessed as unsuitable to remain on site, they will be moved/allocated to alternative accommodation.

Evidence about the needs of particular individuals is assessed in line with the criteria published here: Allocation of asylum accommodation policy

8. What health care provision is there on site?

Extensive efforts have been made to minimise the impact on local health services and to facilitate primary health care on site. Primary (GP lead) health care is delivered on site Monday to Friday, through Home Office funding, by healthcare professionals who offer physical and mental health assessments, and who are able to prescribe medication and refer to alternative healthcare services if required. Asylum seekers are registered with the on-site medical centre so that there is no need for them to register with other local GP practices. In the event of an individual attending or requiring medical treatment from hospital, they will be offered a follow up appointment at the on-site medical centre when they return if this is required.

9. Can asylum seekers travel to local communities?

Transport is provided where necessary to enable access to services not available on site, and to assist asylum seekers who have been given the opportunity to volunteer within the local community.

10. What facilities are there on site?

The site provides functional accommodation and is designed to be as self-sufficient as possible. There are laundry facilities, communal spaces, faith and worship facilities, and areas for recreational and sporting activity to take place on site. All asylum seekers can contact Migrant Help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year if they need help, advice, or guidance, that includes raising issues relating to safeguarding. Migrant Help also offer face-to-face appointments to asylum seekers on site allowing them to raise any questions they may have.

Translated Migrant Help ‘Asylum Advice’ and ‘Asylum Services’ booklets are provided to asylum seekers at their induction, alongside translated Home Office ‘Rights and Expectations in the UK’ booklets. Asylum seekers are provided with a list of legal representatives and Migrant Help continues to signpost asylum seekers to Immigration Legal Advisors. Legal representatives are, by appointment, permitted to visit the site for meetings with asylum seekers, including out-of-hours visits where required. Private meeting spaces and relevant equipment are provided.

11. Will all those accommodated at Wethersfield end up living in the local community?

No - Asylum Seekers are normally only accommodated at Wethersfield during the initial processing stage of their asylum claims. They are moved to other accommodation elsewhere in the country before being notified of the outcome of their asylum application.

12. As many of the proposed cohort would have arrived in the UK by an illegal route, why are they not detained?

In accordance with current legislation, people with a valid pending claim for asylum are permitted to remain in the UK while their claim is being processed, and as they have permission to remain in the UK during that time, they cannot be routinely detained. Detention is primarily used to facilitate removal of those who have no lawful right to remain in the UK, and who refuse to leave voluntarily.

Asylum seekers at the site are not detained, however the site is self-contained as essential services are provided on site to reduce the impact on local services through reducing the need for asylum seekers to leave the site.

We work with local voluntary organisations and faith groups to broaden on-site activities, with a view to providing an environment that encourages asylum seekers to remain on site for their needs.

If asylum seekers need help, advice, or guidance, they can contact Migrant Help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Read full details of the conditions under which asylum-seekers receive accommodation support.

13. How are standards of conduct set and enforced?

As part of the induction process, clear expectations are set about behaviours whilst on and off site. The induction process is continuously updated by the service provider managing the site to reflect any feedback we receive from the local community or other stakeholders on behavioural issues. The site is a strict “no alcohol zone,” and we will continue to ensure that the no alcohol rule on site is enforced. If criminal activity occurs on site, the site’s service provider has robust processes in place to report incidents of criminality to the police.

Everyone entering or leaving site are required to sign in and out at the front gate. This process is managed by the service provider’s security team and overseen by the Home Office Assurance team, who are also based on site.

14. Will asylum seekers receive a mobile phone?

The Home Office does not provide asylum seekers with a mobile phone. Additionally, the Home Office does not provide clothing, although they may receive clothing or other items which are donated via charities.

Find more information about the support asylum seekers are provided

15. How can the local community report incidents related to the site?

Local residents should report any incidents related to the site through the usual channels. For emergencies, call 999 for Police, Fire & Rescue, or Ambulance. For non-emergencies, dial 101. Any incidents on site will be managed by the service provider and Home Office Assurance and Oversight team.

16. What is the status of the Special Development Order (SDO)?

The Special Development Order, a type of secondary legislation granting planning permission, was laid in Parliament on 21 March 2024 and came into force on 11 April 2024 granting Planning Permission to use the site for asylum accommodation until April 2027. The SDO for Wethersfield includes 27 conditions. On 31 January 2025, the Conditions which restricted occupancy to 580 bedspaces were confirmed as discharged by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This discharging has enabled the Home Office to increase regular occupancy, in support of the Government’s commitment to end the use of hotels.

The site has 1,245 bedspaces. Until now, the regular occupancy cap has been 800 with 445 retained for contingency during the peak season, however the Home Office now intend to utilise all bedspaces at Wethersfield throughout the year.

Any increase in inflow onto the site is gradual (100 per week) and subject to the rigorous procedures and reviews. In readiness for increasing the utilised bedspaces, the Home Office consults with Clearsprings Ready Homes, Migrant Help, Mid and South Essex NHS and Essex Police to assure the readiness of the site and assess any wider impacts.