Facts on immigration in Reading

Reading has a rich history of welcoming different communities and being inclusive.

Reading Borough Council has always valued the contribution that those seeking sanctuary can make to Reading and want the town to be known as a welcoming place, where everyone feels safe and supported.

People from all over the country and the world have been coming to Reading to live and work for centuries. Some have come as refugees, escaping harsh regimes or conflicts. Most people came in search of a better life for themselves and their families. Since the 1940s, new jobs in manufacturing, public transport, construction, IT and the NHS have attracted workers from across Britain and around the world.

Definitions

There is a difference between the terms asylum seeker, refugee and migrant and they are not interchangeable. It is important to understand these differences.

Asylum seeker:  a person who has left their home country due to a fear of persecution or serious harm. They have entered the UK and have formally applied for asylum but have not yet received a final decision on their application. They are placed in accommodation and provided subsistence support by the Home Office as required under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, whilst their asylum claim is being decided. 

Refugee: a person who has been granted asylum. Refugees have the right to live, work and access services in the same way any UK resident does.  

Migrant: a person who has applied for the relevant visa and have chosen to live in another country to live, work, study or to live with family. 

Myths about asylum seekers and the facts behind them

Claim: Asylum seekers are put in 5* hotels
What’s true: The hotel accommodation in Reading is budget hotels which are booked and paid for by the Home Office. Asylum seekers are often sharing a room and other facilities; with someone they do not know. 

Claim: Luxury Apartments such as Ebb & Flow in the town centre and the Crowne Plaza site, along with the Biscuit Factory are being used to or are planned to be used for the purpose of housing asylum seekers 
What’s true: The Home Office has confirmed it is not planning to provide accommodation at any of these locations in Reading.  

Claim: Asylum seekers are given priority for housing, including council houses 
What’s true: Asylum seekers are housed on a no-choice basis by the Home Office and cannot access homelessness or housing support from the council. They become eligible for this support when they are granted asylum. They will be required to follow the same processes as any other Reading resident. Being a refugee does not give someone automatic priority for social housing and in most cases, they are not eligible to apply for social housing in Reading until they have lived as a refugee in Reading for 3 years. 

Claim: Asylum seekers are ruining the properties they are housed in 
What’s true: There is no evidence to substantiate this claim. Accommodation providers actively manage property concerns through regular room checks. Any maintenance issues are promptly addressed and resolved to maintain the quality of the properties. They enforce housing rules and regulations by reiterating them to all asylum seekers. In cases where problems occur, warning letters are issued and documented, which are submitted as part of their Home Office application. 

Claim: Reading is at full capacity, and we can’t support any more asylum seekers 
What’s true: Reading, like all local authorities, has a responsibility to support asylum seekers. There are guidelines set by the Home Office to ensure this is fair and consistent nationally. The dispersal policy limit is set at one asylum seeker for every 200 settled residents. Reading has not had the maximum number of asylum seekers designated by the Home Office up to September 2025.  

Claim: The council has no idea where asylum seekers are in Reading
What’s true: The council is aware of the location of all Home Office accommodation in our area. The Home Office consults with local authorities on any new properties to ensure the impacts on local areas are understood before they seek to secure the accommodation.  

Claim: All asylum seekers are single men 
What’s true: There is a mix of single males, families and single females in Reading.  

Claim: Asylum seekers are given £50+ per day to live on
What’s true: Asylum seekers receive everyday living support from the Home Office at a rate of £7.03 per day for each household member, this is reduced to £1.42 per day if the Home Office accommodation provides meals. They may get slightly more if they are pregnant or have children under 3. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work or claim benefits therefore this is often all the money they have to provide essentials such as toiletries, clothing and food if it is not provided. 

Claim: Asylum seekers are given new clothes, trainers and smart phones as soon as they arrive 
What’s true: Asylum seekers are not provided with clothes, trainers and smart phones. They may choose to purchase items with the everyday living support, or they may receive these goods through local charities who receive donations of items or money for this cause. Public funds are not used for this purpose. 

Claim: Private tenants are being evicted in order to house asylum seekers
What’s true: The Home Office do not evict tenants to secure accommodation for asylum seekers.

Claim: Asylum seekers and refugees are committing lots of crime
What’s true: Thames Valley Police has said: “There is no evidence to indicate that refugees and/or asylum seekers are causing an increase in crime rates in Reading.”