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Scampton: factsheet

Updated 22 May 2024

May 2024

Previous updates

10 April 2024

Future of RAF Scampton to be agreed between Home Office and West Lindsey District Council in coming weeks

The Home Office and the Council continue to work together towards a joint agreement to give greater clarity on the use of the site for asylum seekers and the community. Those discussions are progressing well, and we hope to set out further details in the coming weeks.

In the longer term, the government wants the site to benefit the local community and be redeveloped for other uses such as tourism, education, and research.

Why do we need asylum accommodation sites?

We remain committed to meeting our legal obligation to support asylum-seekers who would otherwise be destitute.

The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has put our asylum system under incredible strain.

We have been clear that the use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unsustainable, and the Home Office is committed to making every effort to reduce hotel use and limit the burden on the taxpayer.

What is the Home Office using new asylum accommodation sites for?

Hotel accommodation (that has cost over £8 million a day), was always intended as a temporary solution necessary to meet our statutory obligation to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.

The Home Office is making every effort to reduce reliance on hotels, including through alternative forms of accommodation.

The introduction of new asylum accommodation sites will provide more sustainable accommodation for asylum seekers.

Site background

Scampton is a former Ministry of Defence (MoD) site located in Lincolnshire. Earlier this year it was the home of the RAF Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, who have now moved to nearby RAF Waddington.

We are working closely with stakeholders, including local authorities and representatives from police, health, and Serco to ensure that accommodation provided for those seeking asylum is suitable.

Why are we using the Scampton site? 

The Home Secretary has a statutory duty to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.

Scampton has been identified as a surplus military site that is suitable for the purposes of asylum accommodation.

The site at Scampton will provide accommodation for asylum seekers and it is designed to be as self-sufficient as possible. On-site there will be primary healthcare, catering, laundry services and recreation activities. This will help to minimise the impact on the local community and services.

Has a final decision been made on the asylum accommodation site at Scampton?

Yes, Scampton will be used as a site for asylum accommodation.

Timescales

When will the site at Scampton open?

Work is ongoing to ensure the site is safe, legal, and compliant before any asylum seekers are moved onto to the site. We will continue to ensure residents are updated as proposals to use the site progress.

It is our intention to use a phased approach, gradually increasing the number of asylum seekers accommodated at the site over time.

Illegal migration

What happens to migrants once they arrive in the UK via small boat?

Small boat crossings are dangerous, illegal and unnecessary. They endanger all those who undertake them. There have been appalling and preventable tragedies in the English Channel which must stop.

Migrant vessels are intercepted by Border Force and are brought to facilities in Dover, where people are given health and welfare checks, and the opportunity to change into warm dry clothing.  As part of the initial checks for identity and security, a search is made for any items that might harm the individual or others.  All except vulnerable cohorts (who are processed separately) are then taken to a secure short-term holding facility a few miles away at Manston.

Once at Manston, further security checks are undertaken and initial immigration processes, including taking the details of any asylum claims that may be made, commence.  People are only granted bail from immigration detention, and moved to suitable accommodation such as Scampton, if there are no concerns that they might pose a danger to the public.

What legislation has the government passed to tackle illegal migration?

The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 included significant measures to deter illegal entry into the UK and to remove more easily from the UK those with no right to be here. We arrest and prosecute those people who are found to facilitate or illegally smuggle people into the UK.

The Illegal Migration Act will change the law, stipulating that people who enter the UK illegally will not have their asylum claim determined in the UK. Once removed, they will not be allowed to return to the UK.

The Safety of Rwanda Act received Royal Assent on 25 April 2024, alongside ratification of the Treaty with Rwanda. This is a significant step forward as we work towards the delivery of a first flight to Rwanda, as set out by the Prime Minister. This legislation builds on the objectives set out in the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. Together, it forms a key part of a top priority for the government to reduce the level and impact of illegal migration to the UK.

The Safety of Rwanda Act:

• confirms that Rwanda is a safe third country for the purposes of removing individuals to Rwanda
• confirms that Rwanda has agreed to fulfil its obligations under the UK’s treaty with Rwanda.
• makes clear the very limited scope for individuals to challenge their removal to Rwanda
• applies in its entirety on a UK-wide basis, including in Northern Ireland

More information can be found on GOV.UK:

• Illegal Migration Bill: factsheets
• The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill: factsheets)

Wethersfield, Bibby Stockholm and Scampton are non-detained sites and there is no current intention of asylum seekers being directly transferred from these sites for flights to Rwanda.

Any illegal migrant who is here illegally, including those who arrived illegally, could be in scope. Individuals in scope will be housed across the UK within a range of asylum accommodation.

Operational plans for the Scampton site

Does the Home Office have an Operational Management Plan?

The Home Office is developing the detailed Operational Management Plan for the site. It will continue to be updated as the numbers of individuals on site increases over time. The Home Office meet regularly with Serco to ensure business readiness for the site going live.

Who will run the Scampton site?

It will be operated by Serco - an experienced and specialist asylum accommodation provider under the supervision of the Home Office.

Serco has a strong track record of providing asylum seeker accommodation, and we are confident they have the ability to manage the site and its supporting services. Serco has worked closely and successfully with local authorities and other public and voluntary organisations across the UK.

What about using voluntary services to support asylum seekers?

We are exploring options with local stakeholders for how this could happen.

When was the site handed over?

Control of the site was transferred to the Home Office in summer 2023.

Impact on the local community and services

Will the Home Office directly engage with the local community?

The Home Office has to date led several engagement events to more than 800 residents.

The first 4 events were held in person at the Lincolnshire Showground on 31 August for those living in former service family accommodation, and the neighbouring villages of Scampton, Aisthorpe, Brattleby, Cammeringham and North Carlton.

The fifth engagement event was held on 25 September at the Scampton Pollyplatt Primary School for parents of children who attend as well as the local nursery.

The Home Office also led a virtual community engagement event on 27 September through Microsoft Teams. This was for the local community as well as neighbouring areas. These areas included Scampton, Lincoln, Welton, Dunholme, Aisthorpe, Brattleby, Cammeringham, Ingham, Sturton by Stow, Riseholme, Grange de Lings, Nettleham, North Carlton, Fillingham, Burton by Lincoln, Spridlington and Hackthorn.

The most recent in-person public Scampton community engagement events took place on 30 November 2023 at the Lincolnshire Showground. There were 2 sessions during the day which included a session for vulnerable and elderly residents and one for local businesses (including Scampton, surrounding villages and Lincoln).

The Home Office has for several months also regularly met with the local representatives of the community, like local councils and the Strategic Migration Partnership, through engagement meetings.  The Home Office has committed to continuing engagement throughout the life of the site.

Can asylum seekers volunteer in the local community?

Asylum seekers will be able to volunteer whilst their claim is considered.

It is Home Office policy to support asylum seekers volunteering for charities or public sector organisations.

There have been positive impacts in many of the longstanding areas where there is dispersed asylum accommodation. Some examples include asylum seekers taking part in litter picks and tree planting with local organisations. The activities have provided meaningful activity, increased wellbeing, and community cohesion through integration with other volunteers.

What impact will the number of asylum seekers accommodated at Scampton have on the local community?

Scampton is being designed to be as self-sufficient as possible to minimise the impact on the local services and the community. This will reduce the need for asylum seekers to leave the site. Services on-site will include healthcare provision, laundry facilities, catering, a communal space, recreation activities plus faith and worship facilities.

How will this asylum accommodation impact local services, including health?

The Home Office has carefully considered the impact on local services including the NHS, police, and fire services.

The department is working with local partners to develop bespoke plans that take account of local environmental issues, heritage and any risks associated with each site. The Home Office is providing funding to the NHS to support an on-site primary healthcare service to reduce the impact on local NHS services. The site also has 24/7 security from an experienced provider.

Funding has been allocated to Lincolnshire Police. In advance of the site opening the police have put in place a small team of officers to work with the local community and partners.

The government currently provides £3,500 to local authorities for new and occupied dispersal beds.

What about local people living near Scampton? 

We are working with local partners to establish those most impacted by the site, their concerns, and ways that we can use to continue to keep them informed about what is happening on site. This has included various local community engagement events.

Planning

The Home Office initially secured planning permission to use the site as asylum accommodation under Class Q emergency Crown development planning provisions.

Under Class Q, the Home Office was permitted to use the site for non-detained asylum accommodation for a 12-month period until April 2024.

In October 2023, the Home Office informed local stakeholders for Scampton of its intention to seek planning permission through a Special Development Order (SDO).

An SDO is a Statutory Instrument, a form of secondary legislation.

An SDO was laid on 21 March 2024 to extend the use of Scampton for a further 3 years, with up to 6 months’ decommissioning.

In line with parliamentary convention, the Order came into effect 21 days later, on Thursday 11 April 2024.

The permission ensures that the Home Secretary can continue to fulfil his statutory duties to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute in a manner which reduces the use of inappropriate hotels.

Cohort and capacity

Who will be accommodated at the asylum accommodation large site at Scampton? 

The site will accommodate single adult male asylum seekers between the ages of 18 and 65, directly from Manston or close by.   

They will initially come from the Manston processing centre following checks against policing and immigration databases as well as health checks.

What will the capacity be at Scampton?

The expectation is that the first asylum seekers will first arrive in small numbers, starting with no more than 60 on go live. This will then be gradually increased with the practicalities of managing the site reviewed as each phase allows capacity growth.

Following a review of occupancy capacity at Scampton site, the Home Office has made a decision to cap the regular occupancy.

The regular occupancy numbers at Scampton will be a maximum of 800 asylum seekers.

During normal operation of the site, the population will not exceed 800. However, if capacity is required to deal with unexpected levels of small boat arrivals, a decision may be taken to utilise additional bedspaces (about 300) for short and defined periods of time. If this is the case, there will be a detailed schedule of activity to return the site to a maximum population of 800 as soon as possible.

Why has the decision been made to reduce capacity Scampton?  

As part of our review of the capacity cap, we have taken into account lessons learned as we have increased occupancy on site at Wethersfield and listened to the feedback and concerns of the local community.

It is important that we are reducing hotel costs and delivering our asylum accommodation sites in a safe and orderly manner. Implementing a cap on occupation demonstrates that our priority is listening to local concerns, mitigating impacts, and managing the site safely.

The capacity cap allows us to maintain absolute focus on service delivery.

How many asylum seekers will be accommodated at Scampton, and will it remain as “temporary”?

The Home Office plan to use a measured and controlled phased approach to moving people on site starting with about 60 people and increasing to 800 people over time.

The temporary use of the site will be kept under constant review.

How long will individual asylum seekers remain at Scampton? 

The maximum length of stay for asylum seekers is 9 months, except when the Home Secretary is unable to find suitable onward dispersal accommodation despite reasonable efforts to do so.

Suitability

Is Scampton suitable for accommodating people? 

Under sections 95 and 98 of the Immigration Act 1999, the Home Secretary has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation.

Accommodation and onsite facilities at Scampton are designed to ensure the essential needs of those accommodated there are met. This includes the provision of catering facilities, on-site primary healthcare, and recreational space.

There will be robust processes in place to assess and manage the requirements of anyone who would be accommodated at the site.

We will work with Serco and local transport companies to ensure there is transport available to asylum seekers at Scampton.

Will vulnerable people be accommodated at Scampton? 

Individuals identified to be moved to the site will be subject to a suitability assessment. Guidance on the suitability criteria used can be found on GOV.UK.

Each person’s suitability will be assessed at regular intervals and if they are no longer suitable for any reason, they will be moved to alternative accommodation.

All asylum seekers in the UK may 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.

Safety and security

What checks are carried out on those arriving in the UK and moving to the Scampton site?

Migrants arriving in small boats are taken to facilities in Dover to begin processing. Searches are undertaken at Western Jet Foil followed by robust security checks and biometric tests at Manston. This includes checks against UK and international police databases.

Anyone transferred to the site will have been through these checks.

An allocation policy and suitability criteria will be applied to ensure that the accommodation is suitable for those who stay there.

Serco, who will run the site on behalf of the Home Office, is responsible for the safeguarding of asylum seekers. Serco are extremely experienced in managing asylum seeker accommodation in an orderly and secure manner.

What kind of security measures will be put in place?

The safety and security of the local community and the asylum seekers on-site is of the utmost importance.

Security forms an integral part of the proposed site therefore a specialist security provider is working on site 24/7.

The Home Office has also temporarily agreed increased security measures. These include but are not limited to more security staff on site, frequent patrols and additional CCTV.

We are working closely with the local police force to ensure appropriate security arrangements continue to be in place.

How will the Home Office ensure the personal safety of residents?

On arriving, asylum seekers will receive a briefing and orientation about the site and the local community. In addition to information about how to access services on and off site, the briefing explains what constitutes appropriate behaviour. It sets out acceptable and unacceptable behaviours as well as their responsibilities as individuals to act as good neighbours.

If any criminal activity does occur, our provider has robust processes in place to report them to the police. Our providers are experienced at running asylum accommodation with minimal impact on the local community.

The Home Office recognises the specific concerns raised by the community. We are working with key stakeholders to manage the impact of using the Scampton site to accommodate asylum seekers and address those concerns. For instance, we are working with Lincolnshire Police to ensure appropriate policing for the local community.

Lincolnshire Police has a small community team of officers who are working with the local communities and partners in advance of the site opening.

Will the Home Office pay for additional security for my home?

The Home Office does not provide additional security for individual houses. Each person and/or household is responsible for making sure their property and belongings are secured and protected and this advice remains true whether there is asylum accommodation in your area or not.

Asylum seekers leaving the site

What is the process for asylum seekers leaving the site on a day-to-day basis?

Asylum seekers at the site will not be detained. The site will be self-contained, and we will provide essential services on site to reduce their need to leave the site.

On arriving at the site, asylum seekers will receive a briefing and orientation about the site and the local community. This will inform them how to access the services they will need on and off site, as well as their responsibilities and what is expected of them as good neighbours.

A formal register will be kept at the front gate so that we know who is on and off-site. There is no set curfew, but asylum seekers are expected to be back on site by 11pm.

Serco who will run the site on behalf of the Home Office is responsible for the safeguarding of migrants. Serco are very experienced in managing asylum seeker accommodation in an orderly and secure manner.

Can asylum seekers leave the site?

Yes. Those living at the site will be able to come and go. The process for leaving the site will be the same as the rest of our asylum accommodation.

Comparisons to other sites

Are there any success stories from other similar sites?

There are hundreds of asylum seekers now at Wethersfield which is a similar site. The site is being operated by an experienced and specialist asylum accommodation provider under the supervision of the Home Office.

We are also applying the lessons we learned at Napier Barracks to ensure that Scampton runs well. We appreciate that there are fewer people at Napier but the principles of running a large accommodation site remain the same. For example, the Home Office will have a dedicated oversight team which will have weekly check in meetings with asylum seekers to identify and act on any concerns.

Contamination

What is the Home Office doing about any potential contamination on site?

The site will be legally compliant and satisfy planning requirements.

When the site is operational, our service operator and security provider will have operational management plans and risk registers. They will conduct regular checks on of site for known or new hazards to ensure the site continues to be safe and habitable.

Roads

What consideration has been given to the impact on road infrastructure?

The site will be as self-contained as possible minimising the need for asylum seekers to leave the site. Where there is a need, transport will be provided to asylum seekers to access services in nearby towns.

When asylum seekers arrive on site, they will be given an induction which will include information about the site, location, and traffic safety.

We are working with the local authority and police to help address traffic concerns.

Will there be transport services for asylum seekers to use?

This is one of the services that we are working through with the multi-agency forum (MAF). We are developing bespoke plans for the Scampton site working in partnership with colleagues from the local authority and other agencies.

To minimise the impact on the local services, and to ensure the orderly flow of people onto and off the site, a regular shuttle bus service will be available, linking up to the nearest town or city.

Asylum seekers will be taken to in-person appointments by a dedicated bus.

The Home Office will work with Serco and local transport companies to ensure anyone housed at the Scampton site would be able to obtain all their essential needs.

How will the Home Office ensure the site remains suitable for asylum seekers to be accommodated?

No asylum seekers will be moved onto the site until it is confirmed as safe, compliant, and fit for purpose.

Serco will conduct regular checks on of site for known or new hazards to ensure the site continues to be safe and habitable.

Health Care

What health care provision will be in place for asylum seekers living at the site to reduce the impact on local services in Scampton?

We are working through the specifics of healthcare provision with local and national health partners via the multi-agency forum (MAF). A health subgroup of the MAF has been set up specifically to look at how we reduce the impact on local health services and facilitate primary health care services on site.

Upon arrival in the UK, all asylum seekers, primarily small boat arrivals, are offered a humanitarian check/a brief health check at Western Jet Foil in Dover and treatment for minor injuries and minor ailments at Manston, Kent. Where necessary, service users requiring emergency health care will be admitted to local urgent treatment centres/accident and emergency departments at both sites. On site clinicians will manage and triage all non-emergency health care requirements and act accordingly.

The Home Office has procedures in place to support individuals with potential symptoms of an infectious disease, including isolation spaces and a designated isolation hotel. The local UKHSA Health Protection Team provides advice and guidance on management of individuals and contacts with a suspected infectious disease or outbreaks. Individuals will be isolated where this is advised and pathways are in place to safely manage the transfer of the individual into appropriate accommodation with ongoing care provided.

On arrival at Manston, individuals are offered a diphtheria vaccination and in line with current UKHSA recommendations.

Significant progress has been made working with local and national health partners to equip the onsite medical centre. Primary healthcare will be provided on the Scampton site to reduce the impact on local health services.

Financial support will also be provided to the NHS to reduce the impact on the local NHS funding in Lincolnshire.

Heritage

What about Scampton’s heritage?

The Home Office recognises the importance of the rich heritage at Scampton and is committed to preserving and enhancing the heritage assets at the site.

It is government policy that all historic assets, for which central government is responsible, meet appropriate standards of care and use. We do not see Scampton as being any different to how the government manages and protects its historic estate.

The Home Office will create a Heritage Asset Management Plan. This will set out clear actions and responsibilities to protect the heritage assets at Scampton.

Serco, and all those in authority and responsible for the site will be notified and informed of the location of all heritage assets.

No works of repair, save for matters to protect the public and site users as required the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, will be conducted on any listed buildings without the permission of Home Office Estates.

All listed and heritage assets will be inaccessible to asylum seekers accommodated on the site.

All buildings will be subject to regular inspections by on site security and any damage or wants of repair will be reported to Home Office Estates.

The Operational Management Plan (OMP) will place a duty upon the Home Office, Serco, and appointed facilities management company to observe, manage and respect all heritage assets.

Where appropriate and necessary fencing or signs will be placed to either warn or prevent access to area of sensitivity or risk.

House prices

Can the Home Office provide any compensation for any loss in property value?

The Home Office appreciates the concerns of local residents and will continue to continue to collaborate with key stakeholders to lessen the impact of using the Scampton sites on the local community.

However, the Home Office does not intend to offer compensation for loss in property value.

Is the HO going to offer compensation to local community for house insurance prices going up? 

As mentioned above, the Home Office appreciates the concerns of local residents and want to continue to collaborate with key stakeholders to lessen the impact of using the Scampton sites on the local community. However, the Home Office does not intend to offer compensation for increases in home insurance.