A NUMBER of asylum seekers who were being housed on the Bibby Stockholm vessel are being relocated to other towns and cities across the country, including Wolverhampton.

The barge, which is docked in Portland, Dorset, was designed to hold hundreds of asylum seekers by the previous Conservative Government as part of plans to ease pressure on the asylum system and reduce the cost of asylum accommodation.

However, the Home Office contract for the barge, which was used to house men from several different countries whilst they awaited a decision on their asylum claims, will end in January 2025.

The Labour Government has said continuing the use of the Bibby Stockholm would have cost more than £20 million next year, and that scrapping it forms part of the expected £7.7 billion of savings in asylum costs over the next 10 years.

People who are currently housed on the Bibby Stockholm have now begun to be relocated and are being dispersed to several locations across the UK.

The men are being relocated in accommodations in Wolverhampton, as well as Cardiff, Bristol and Worksop, according to local campaigners in Portland who have been supporting them.

A spokesperson from The Portland Global Friendship Group said that a “small number” of men had been sent to Wolverhampton, but called reports that implied “hundreds” would be sent to the city “misleading”.

A spokesperson from the organisation said: “A small amount of men have been transferred there, but no more than other areas.”

Wolverhampton is a ‘City of Sanctuary’ which means it is a place that welcomes and supports asylum seekers and refugees in and around the area.

When asked about the relocation of asylum seekers to the city from the barge, a spokesperson from the Wolverhampton City of Sanctuary organisation said: “Putting people on Bibby Stockholm was a mistake right from the start.

“Instead we need to make sure there is a fair efficient process for asylum seekers and treat everyone decently whilst applications are being decided.

“We are glad to see that the application process seems to have speeded up since the new government took charge; this can only be a step for the better as leaving people waiting in hotels or other accommodation is expensive and is in nobody's interest.

“We have a good track record of welcoming people in Wolverhampton and, as long as the resources are in place, we can help refugees to integrate into our community, and this will help it to grow.

“But, we also need to see more immediate investment in schools, infrastructure and community groups to help make this happen."

For security reasons, the Home Office are unable to confirm what accommodations asylum seekers who were house on the Bibby Stockholm are being transferred to in and said they are committed to working with local authorities, consulting them prior to any accommodation for asylum seekers being procured and providing the opportunity to object to plans.

A spokesperson from the Home Office said: “This government inherited an asylum system under unprecedented strain, with thousands stuck in a backlog without their claims processed. 

“We have taken immediate action to restart asylum processing which will save an estimated £7 billion for the tax payer over the next ten years, and are delivering a major uplift in returns to remove people with no right to be in the UK.

“Over the long term this will reduce our reliance on hotels and costs of accommodation. 

“We remain absolutely committed to ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers.”

The Home Office also said that no current residents of the Bibby Stockholm will be relocated to areas in the Dorset Council region, including Portland or Weymouth.