Govt announces Ukrainian style scheme to bring thousands more migrants to UK

Thank you Graphite I’d seen some of the information but am rubbish at posting links.
I do agree with proportionate and appropriate placement of any larger group of people where the needs of both them and the existing inhabitant may not be met.

Shabina Mahmood has now announced that migrants will not be housed in new build homes.

For clarity, it was NOT fake news that these new builds were going to be given to migrants. One couple have already moved in so I guess they may be moved out now.

I know what you mean, foxie, but I do think there is an issue if there is a disproportionate arrival of people into a very small and isolated rural community - which this appears to be and where I don’t imagine there is much work.

I shall wait to hear more after the meeting on 2 July.

This is from a government paper. We have:

• 12 core cities: major population and economic centres (for example London, Glasgow, Sheffield)
• 23 other cities: other settlements with a population of 180,000 or above (for example Leicester, Portsmouth, Aberdeen)
• 116 large towns: settlements with a population between 60,000 and 179,999 (for example Warrington, Maidstone, Barnsley)
• 271 medium towns: settlements with a population between 25,000 and 59,999 (for example Gravesend, Batley, Dunfermline)
• 787 small towns: settlements with a population between 7,500 and 24,999 (for example Heanor, Yeadon, Cinderford)
•6,593 villages and small communities: settlements with a population under 7,500 (for example Goff’s Oak, Aylsham, Ystradgynlais)

Finding homes for people needs to be done in a way that distributes families in proportion to the size of the settlement irrespective of how expensive or relatively inexpensive the location is deemed to be. Isn’t this what is causing resentment in less expensive parts of the country where people feel their communities are expected to take a disproportionate share of newcomers in areas which are already disadvantaged by years of decline.

Graphite I am sure there is more to this story but I'd still like to know where people who object to families being housed here would like these families to be housed. What do they consider is suitable housing? Where would they like traumatised children to live until their asylum claim is processed? It's a simple enough question, please can someone answer it?

This is an odd story and I expect there is more to it than meets the eye. For a start, a walk with Google Maps show these new houses appear to be on an isolated estate of what look like mostly 1960s built homes. The new homes were in an advanced state of build in April 2025 when Google captured the image.

So my first question is, why are they still unoccupied over a year later?

I have found a old press article which says work began on the site in 2022 by HJB Properties Limited. Companies House records show there was a notice to strike off the company in 2023 which is suspended. There was opposition to some aspects of the development:

www.shropshirestar.com/news/north-shropshire/market-drayton/save-our-park-shropshire-residents-rally-to-fight-off-developers-5910399

The local MP Mark Pritchard as posted several times about this issue on FB (without actually saying much about what is known) as well as raising the issue in the HoC.

Pritchard is holding a public meeting for local people only on Thursday 2 July. He has made the point that people have been coming from out of area to cause trouble.

Under one of his statements on FB, someone has posted that the houses have been "built by cowboys" are still not finished, nor are the roads and there is a local issue with flooding including waste.

www.facebook.com/markpritchardmp

In my city, asylum seekers have been housed in accommodation that developers have found impossible to sell or rent because they built on flood plain (which does flood on a regular basis) and is a long walk from any facilities, bus stops, shops etc - (as this development appears to be). Nobody else wanted to live there. The developers had been trying to offload the homes for three years and eventually came to some arrangement with Home Office agencies.

I’m wondering if this development in Shropshire is a similar white elephant.

It’s not fake news then. All the media I’ve looked at is reporting the same.

Primrose where would you like asylum seeker families to be housed? We are talking about "families" with children, not lone adult males, families. These are "families" who have fled war and famine, they have crossed the channel in a small boat. Where would you like them to live?

Sorry Primrose I get fed up with our media and click bait on many subjects that requires digging to find the facts.

Primrose there is some semblance of truth, but the way it has been biased is incorrect. A question in the house by the local MP explained local concerns.

Jaxjacky

Primrose53

It’s almost like the Govt really wants to upset people!

Just reading about 21 new build houses worth £250,000 each which are being given to asylum seekers. This is in Stoke Heath, Shropshire. Locals are very unhappy because they could never afford houses like these despite working and paying their taxes. Do Labour not realise that people will be angry and upset about this?

Do your research Primrose found to be fake news, designed to enrage the gullible.

Found to be fake news by whom? I can find no evidence that it’s fake news Jaxjacky. Can you share please.

If we don't get those youngsters into those jobs or jobs like them, we are failing a generation, and the price ( and I don't mean economically) will be catastrophic.

Jaxjacky

Primrose53

It’s almost like the Govt really wants to upset people!

Just reading about 21 new build houses worth £250,000 each which are being given to asylum seekers. This is in Stoke Heath, Shropshire. Locals are very unhappy because they could never afford houses like these despite working and paying their taxes. Do Labour not realise that people will be angry and upset about this?

Do your research Primrose found to be fake news, designed to enrage the gullible.

If you are correct then newspapers, radio progs, TV news all fell for the “fake news”.

Primrose53

It’s almost like the Govt really wants to upset people!

Just reading about 21 new build houses worth £250,000 each which are being given to asylum seekers. This is in Stoke Heath, Shropshire. Locals are very unhappy because they could never afford houses like these despite working and paying their taxes. Do Labour not realise that people will be angry and upset about this?

Do your research Primrose found to be fake news, designed to enrage the gullible.

Would love to know how you/government would 'get' NEET youngsters into the jobs/ careers listed by butterandjam.

Oreo

I think that those willing to help Ukrainian families were well intentioned and some of those cases did work out but many didn’t.It would be the same for this new idea, in fact I would be surprised if it got off the ground.

What is your source for stating "many didn't" with reference to hosting Ukrainian refugees?

Primrose53

It’s almost like the Govt really wants to upset people!

Just reading about 21 new build houses worth £250,000 each which are being given to asylum seekers. This is in Stoke Heath, Shropshire. Locals are very unhappy because they could never afford houses like these despite working and paying their taxes. Do Labour not realise that people will be angry and upset about this?

One thing the government seems to do with huge success is to make people angry and upset. The military base at Wethersfield holds 800 and is being increased to 1,200.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75y1gxvvw0o
Locals on TV are very unhappy. They can't sell their houses and the migrants are trying their doors and looking through their windows. How would that make people on here feel?

Meanwhile, in Barnham another military base is planned to be used for migrants. There will be 1,000 or more there and the village population is only 600. Again, locals are very upset but they don't care.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3vyngrrk71o
There are 3,750 migrants in total, not sure where they're all going but a lot will go here.

UK born and trained medics are struggling to find jobs here , so maybe a more cohesive approach to these positions would be helpful.

butterandjam

friendlygingercat

I am a great believer in supporting your own people and solving their problems first before you take in Johnny Foreigner from heaven knows where. This country is over populated as it is and we don't have enough resources for our own people who actually paid taxes. I never voted for multi-culturalism and it does not work. It has changed the landscape of this country and not for the better. That's why I vote Reform.

on the contrary. UK hasn't got enough doctors, care workers, bus and train drivers, farm workers , builders, to service a population top-heavy with old and retired people.

We NEED energetic strong young migrants to fill those roles.

No we don't. We have 1 million NEET youngsters which we need to get into work or training to fill those roles.

friendlygingercat

I am a great believer in supporting your own people and solving their problems first before you take in Johnny Foreigner from heaven knows where. This country is over populated as it is and we don't have enough resources for our own people who actually paid taxes. I never voted for multi-culturalism and it does not work. It has changed the landscape of this country and not for the better. That's why I vote Reform.

on the contrary. UK hasn't got enough doctors, care workers, bus and train drivers, farm workers , builders, to service a population top-heavy with old and retired people.

We NEED energetic strong young migrants to fill those roles.

It’s almost like the Govt really wants to upset people!

Just reading about 21 new build houses worth £250,000 each which are being given to asylum seekers. This is in Stoke Heath, Shropshire. Locals are very unhappy because they could never afford houses like these despite working and paying their taxes. Do Labour not realise that people will be angry and upset about this?

I agree friendlygingercat 👍🏻
Tho I don’t think Reform are the answer, it’s true that successive governments of all stripes have led us down this woeful road for years and years.I think now, at last maybe because of the threat of Reform taking votes the government is coming to its senses and realising it has to do something!

I am a great believer in supporting your own people and solving their problems first before you take in Johnny Foreigner from heaven knows where. This country is over populated as it is and we don't have enough resources for our own people who actually paid taxes. I never voted for multi-culturalism and it does not work. It has changed the landscape of this country and not for the better. That's why I vote Reform.

GrannyGravy13

The BBC are reporting that those granted asylum will have to pack back around £10,000 towards the cost of their accommodation and support once they start earning under government plans.

Shabana Mahmoud said ^Once people can contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, we expect them to do so^

GrannyGravy13. And if they say they can’t pay it, they won’t have to. 🤣🤣 nice one Shabana.

The BBC are reporting that those granted asylum will have to pack back around £10,000 towards the cost of their accommodation and support once they start earning under government plans.

Shabana Mahmoud said Once people can contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, we expect them to do so

I read this morning on BBC news that it costs £144 per day to keep an asylum seeker in a hotel. In public accomodation it costs £23.
Labour are working to move asylum seekers from hotels to other cheaper accomodation.
They have closed many hotels now.