Glasgow City Council is set to receive additional funding from the Scottish Government to manage the increasing costs associated with housing migrants. The decision comes as council leaders have warned that the soaring expenses are posing an "untenable threat" to community cohesion in Scotland's largest city.
Council leader Susan Aitken has engaged in discussions with the Scottish Government, leading to a commitment for increased financial aid. However, the specific amount of additional funding has not yet been disclosed, and the council anticipates receiving the funds after the Scottish Budget is announced later this year.
The council has faced significant challenges in accommodating and supporting refugees, with homelessness costs in Glasgow projected to reach £75 million next year. The city has also experienced protests related to immigration and asylum issues.
Both the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council have pointed to the Westminster government for the pressures, citing changes in the asylum system that leave councils responsible for a growing number of refugees who become homeless after being granted leave to remain in the UK. Glasgow has historically accommodated a disproportionate number of asylum seekers in Scotland. As of the end of March, there were 3,489 asylum seekers living in dispersed accommodation in Glasgow, compared to significantly smaller numbers in Edinburgh and Dundee.
Aitken highlighted that the situation is straining already limited housing resources and incurring substantial costs for emergency accommodation. She stated that decisions made by the Home Office have contributed to a nationwide homelessness crisis for refugees who have recently received leave to remain. She further noted that the council has not received a substantive response from UK ministers regarding these concerns.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Scotland's Social Justice and Housing Secretary, has also criticized the Home Office, attributing the difficulties to "mismanagement of asylum policy." While acknowledging that councils bear legal responsibility for homelessness, Somerville mentioned that the Scottish Government has allocated £123 million to Glasgow through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme this year, including £302,000 specifically for refugee resettlement support. Funding for the upcoming 2027-28 period will be determined as part of the Scottish Budget.
Glasgow City Council is currently facing a potential budget deficit exceeding £111 million for the next fiscal year. Questions have also been raised regarding Scotland's homelessness laws, particularly after the removal of the 'priority need' test, which broadened access to homelessness assistance.
In response, a UK government spokesperson stated their commitment to assisting refugees transitioning from asylum accommodation and mitigating homelessness risks, noting an extension of the grace period from 28 to 42 days. The spokesperson added that the government is closing asylum hotels and relocating asylum seekers to alternative accommodations, including former military sites, and is working with local authorities to ensure fair housing across the country and minimize community impact.