The Home Office does not hold data on immigration enforcement activity at the level of detail requested. Illegal working enforcement activity is recorded by broader business sectors and enforcement outcomes, not by specific sub-sectors such as barbering premises. As a result, we are unable to provide figures on the number of immigration enforcement visits carried out at barbering premises, or the number of arrests and civil penalties arising from those visits.

A breakdown of illegal working enforcement activity is available in the Home Office publications which can be accessed at:

Our published national data on enforcement activity is available at the following link Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2026 - GOV.UK

Details of illegal working activity is available at the following link: Illegal working and enforcement activity to the end of June 2026 - GOV.UK

Details of civil penalties is available at the following link: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

There is an increase in operational activity at barbering premises due to an increased focus on Organised Immigration Crime and high cash volume business. These operations are increasingly conducted in partnership through Op Lockstream and Op Machinize bringing together policing, NCA, Trading Standards, HMRC and local authorities with Immigration Enforcement to tackle high street crime. All Immigration Enforcement activity is intelligence led.

Between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2026, Immigration Enforcement teams have now made over 17,000 arrests on illegal working visits, a 122% increase on the two-year period immediately prior. Teams have carried out almost 25,000 visits across the UK to businesses suspected of using illegal workers, marking a 111% increase.

We have made a huge investment in our Immigration Enforcement service, and investment is set to double by 2029, alongside a 60% increase in enforcement officers enabling us to increase enforcement activity further.

When a site has been identified for use as asylum accommodation, Home Office officials will write to the local authority Chief Executive and the constituency MP to inform them of plans to accommodate asylum seekers within the alternative accommodation identified. This is normally done in advance of a site being used, but where an urgent need for accommodation occurs, this may take place retrospectively.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area, including those in dispersal properties. These statistics can be found at Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

The Home Office continues to share information to support effective transitions from asylum accommodation. This includes the weekly Discontinuation Prediction Tool, which provides a real-time view of cases entering the discontinuation process and a four-week forward look at the likely volumes of individuals who may seek local authority assistance following a positive decision.

Under the government’s National Plan to End Homelessness strategy the Home Office has made a commitment to ensure all local authorities receive information from asylum accommodation providers for 100% of newly granted refugees at risk of homelessness. We are working closely with partners across the asylum accommodation system to achieve this commitment and improve the timely sharing of information. This will enable local authorities to commence a homelessness assessment which will be received within 2 days of an asylum discontinuation and within 14 days of family reunion visa issuance.

To support this commitment, the Home Office is working with asylum accommodation providers and reviewing its data-sharing arrangements to improve the quality and timeliness of information provided to local authorities, including more consistent and actionable information at the point asylum support is discontinued.

We are satisfied with the standard of service provided by translators working on asylum claims. All interpreters conducting an assignment for the Home Office must adhere to a strict Code of Conduct to maintain the integrity of the profession. The Code of Conduct sets out clear expectations around impartiality, and the standards of conduct and behaviour interpreters are required to meet.

Full Dispersal means that every local authority nationally, irrespective of rurality, is considered a dispersal area. It is right that they play their part in supporting the Home Office meet its legal obligations in a fair and equitable manner.

Asylum accommodation is procured in line with the standards set out in Schedule 2 (statement for requirements) of the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts, which are published on Contracts finder - Contracts Finder

The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process for the procurement of prospective dispersal accommodation. Proposed properties are shared with nominated local authority officials, providing them with an opportunity to assess the suitability of each property before any procurement decision is made.

Local authorities are given five working days to provide relevant local insights and intelligence, including information obtained from statutory partners such as the police and health services. This information provides vital local context and informs decision making on procurement activity.

This consultation process is undertaken with local authority officials at district level. Elected members are not consulted as part of the procurement process for dispersed accommodation.

The Home Office does not centrally hold data on the number of women and girls who have been victims of crimes committed by asylum seekers, broken down by the age of the victim and type of offence.

The Home Office pursues debt recovery in every case and proactively monitors liable companies through Companies House from the point a civil penalty referral is logged. This enables the early identification of proposed strike-offs and timely objections, helping to prevent companies from dissolving before civil penalties can be pursued or recovered.

The Home Office does not routinely assess trends in the number of businesses issued with civil penalties for employing illegal workers that subsequently dissolve or enter liquidation before penalties are paid.

The number of asylum claims linked to Student visas, and the number of individuals in receipt of asylum support, are published in the Immigration system statistics data tables. These can be broken down by nationality.

The Government considers immigration pull factors to be aspects of the UK's asylum and immigration system that may incentivise irregular migration to the United Kingdom. Through the Restoring Order and Control Policy Statement and the Immigration and Asylum Bill, introduced on 30 June 2026 the Government is reforming the asylum and returns system to reduce such incentives while continuing to meet its international obligations to those in need of protection.

Measures include reforms to refugee leave, settlement and family reunion arrangements; stronger compliance requirements; action to recover accommodation and support costs from those able to contribute; increased enforcement against illegal working; improvements to returns and removals, including reforms to the framework governing Article 8 claims; expanded returns agreements with international partners; and action to reduce reliance on asylum accommodation, including hotels. The Government is also strengthening border security, disrupting organised immigration crime and expanding safe and legal routes for those who require protection.

Since the July 2024 election, asylum-related returns have reached their highest level since 2010.

The monthly breakdown in asylum related returns since July 2024 is published in the ad-hoc transparency release, which can be found here: Returns from the UK between 1 July 2024 and 31 July 2026 - GOV.UK

Ramping up returns is an important part of the government’s system-wide action to strengthen UK border security and restore order to the asylum and immigration system. Immigration Enforcement are clear that individuals who have no legal basis to remain in the UK should leave and we remain resolute in our commitment to increasing returns, as set out in our statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy.

The Home Office provides support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to asylum seekers and their dependants who would otherwise be destitute in order to comply with its legal obligations. The Home Office is committed to ensuring that destitute asylum seekers are housed in safe, secure and suitable accommodation, and that they are treated with dignity while their asylum claim is considered.

The Home Office is working closely with local authorities, property partners and the local community as we transition away from using hotels. This will see a move towards the use of large sites, including ex-military sites, for asylum accommodation, to reduce the impact on local communities.

Alongside this, we continue to expand the use of dispersal accommodation. This approach is being implemented in close consultation with local authorities across the UK to ensure dispersal is balanced and community needs and concerns are taken into account.

Property owners are under no obligation to contract with the Home Office’s accommodation providers. We are unable to comment on contractual arrangements between these vendors and the accommodation provider as we are not privy to them, and they are commercially sensitive.

The Home Office shares operational data with French partners to support the disruption, investigation, and prosecution of people-smuggling networks. This includes intelligence, operational information relating to the maritime environment. Information is exchanged through established joint working arrangements and liaison officers based in France.

The Home Office and its accommodation providers continually assess a range of potential accommodation options across the UK to meet statutory duties.

Decisions on the use of alternative asylum accommodation sites will be made on a site-by-site basis and community cohesion is fully considered in site selection. We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with planning regulations.

Our accommodation providers ensure that consultation with local authorities is carried out in accordance with the requirements and standards set out in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts.

The Full Dispersal model works to ensure that asylum accommodation is equitably and fairly spread out across the country, meaning that a small number of local authorities are not unduly burdened. Dispersed Accommodation offers accommodation that delivers better value for money for the taxpayer and helps the Home Office work towards the fair and equitable spread of accommodation.

Whatever decisions are made regarding specific locations, we are clear that the impact on communities must be minimised. The safety and security of people living and working in the surrounding areas is paramount.

We remain focussed on reducing the number of asylum cases awaiting an initial decision.

The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives to speed up decision making and reduce the time people spend in the asylum system. This will enable us to maximise our capacity and progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way.

Over 70% of asylum claims received in Q3 2025 have been decided within 6 months, the highest percentage since Q1 2016. Decision output continues to exceed asylum intake helping us to reduce waiting times for initial asylum decisions. This demonstrates that the steps we have already taken to streamline the asylum process and increase our efficiency are paying off and shows that we are building an asylum system that is efficient and sustainable.

Where an asylum seeker makes an application for subsistence only support, an assessment is made on whether they are destitute. This may involve enquiries about the hosts circumstances where relevant to determining whether the asylum seeker is destitute.

Asylum seekers are required by Immigration Rule 358B to provide the Home Office with any change of address where they are not being supported by the Home Office. This includes where supported asylum seekers intend to leave asylum accommodation.

Where an asylum seeker makes an application for subsistence only support, an assessment is made on whether they are destitute. This may involve enquiries about the hosts circumstances where relevant to determining whether the asylum seeker is destitute.

Asylum seekers are required by Immigration Rule 358B to provide the Home Office with any change of address where they are not being supported by the Home Office. This includes where supported asylum seekers intend to leave asylum accommodation.

This data is not held in a reportable format.

We have committed to provide further information to the Public Accounts Committee by December 2026. Consideration of what material can be published will be made in the usual way, taking account of commercial sensitivities and contractual obligations.

This information is not published and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

All asylum claims are considered on their individual merits, and decision makers assess the credibility and reliability of evidence submitted in support of a claim in accordance with published asylum guidance.