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Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Proof UK cares more about asylum seekers than its own citizens? Shock figures show councils are housing up to 10 times more asylum seekers than homeless people
Seventeen councils are accommodating up to 10 times more asylum seekers than homeless people, analysis suggests. The biggest disparity was seemingly in Pendle, a borough inside Reform's newly-gained Lancashire authority. Latest Government data shows 453 asylum seekers are being housed in Pendle. In contrast, only nine homeless households are in temporary accommodation. Critics of Britain's immigration policy have seized upon the figures as proof we are ran by people who 'care more about illegal migrants than its own citizens'. However, officials criticised MailOnline's 'misleading' analysis and argued that they could not control where homeless people choose to live. The full results of our investigation can be viewed in our interactive map, which lays bare the true situation in every council. Home Office data shows 89,000 asylum seekers – the equivalent of a town the size of Stevenage, Hastings or Southport – were being housed across England as of the end of March. By comparison, 128,000 homeless 'households' were in temporary accommodation heading into 2025. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which keeps track of the number of homeless 'households', says their overall estimate equates to around 295,000 people. Because it does not list specific figures for each council, the only way of comparing the two is by posting homeless households against the number of asylum seekers. Ten councils did not publish figures on homeless households, meaning they were excluded from our analysis. In total, more than a third of England's councils currently house asylum seekers at double the rate of homeless households. Behind Pendle came Stockton-on-Tees (797 asylum seekers vs 26 homeless households) and Wyre (375 asylum seekers vs 14 homeless households). Robert Bates, of the Centre for Migration Control thinktank, said: 'Those who were born here and have contributed to the economy have been abandoned, and left on the streets, in favour of undocumented young men towards whom we should have no moral or legal obligation. 'Thousands of British veterans and families are facing real hardship but are denied even a fraction of the generosity extended to asylum seekers. 'Scattering these people across the country places further strain on communities suffering with a dysfunctional housing market, increasing rents and making it harder for young people to own a home. What is an asylum seeker? Asylum is protection given by a country to someone fleeing from persecution in their own country. An asylum seeker is someone who has applied for asylum and is awaiting a decision on whether they will be granted refugee status. An asylum applicant who does not qualify for refugee status may still be granted leave to remain in the UK for humanitarian or other reasons. An asylum seeker whose application is refused at initial decision may appeal the decision through an appeal process and, if successful, may be granted leave to remain. 'Anyone entering the country illegally should be detained and swiftly deported - it is only then that we can hope this madness will end.' While an asylum seeker is waiting to hear the outcome of their claim, the Home Office is legally obligated to provide them housing if they need it. If they are successful they become recognised as refugees – entitled to work and receive full state benefits. From that point on, councils have statutory responsibility to look after housing, if the refugees are unable to. But councils do not provide accommodation to everyone and instead use a priority system, which takes into account children and other vulnerability factors, to decide who gets a home. It means that some refugees may also fall under the homeless category in official statistics. Fuelled by an explosion in small boat crossings, the cost of accommodating asylum seekers has tripled to £4.2million a day. Around 30,000 are currently kept in hotels, where they are usually provided meals along with £8.86 per week. The Chancellor Rachel Reeves promised last week to end the housing of asylum seekers in hotels over the next four years. The handout amount rises to £49.18 per week if no meals are provided. Extra money is also provided to pregnant mothers and young children. As well as getting free accommodation, asylum seekers are also entitled to taxpayer-funded NHS healthcare, prescriptions, dental care and children under 18 are required to go to school, where they may be able to get free meals. Homeless people in temporary accommodation are offered full state benefits such as Universal Credit, and some hostels provide food that is paid through a service charge. Those living in temporary accommodation make up the vast majority of homeless people, with only around 3,900 sleeping rough on any given night, according to the charity Shelter. Critics claim that many homeless people have paid council tax and contributed for years to British tax and society, unlike asylum seekers. Around four in five of those assessed as needing homeless relief of some kind were British nationals, according to the latest data. Some of those left out in the cold are even veterans and ex-service personnel who have fought for the country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Concerns have been raised that they may have to make do with a concrete pillow in a shop doorway, while they look up to see asylum seekers getting a cosy hotel bed on the same street. Life on the streets is often dangerous, with rates of drinking and drug abuse high, leading to high rates of poor mental health and death compared to those who have a bed. Alp Mehmet, of Migration Watch UK, said: 'Over 100,000 people applied for asylum in 2024, including main applicants and their dependants. There will be just as many seeking asylum this year. 'If they're not in hotels, they will have to be housed elsewhere. 'Then there's the 430,000 net migration added to the population last year. 'Well over half a half a million people needing a roof over their heads, roofs that won't be available to British citizens. 'When will the Government see sense and end this madness? Get a grip, Sir Keir!' The public has been expressing their discontentment with the apparent unfairness of the situation for some time. A recent survey by IPSOS found 68 per cent of the public deem the numbers coming to the UK to seek refugee status or asylum too high. And in March when MailOnline visited Coventry, the local authority with the fifth-highest number of supported asylum seekers in Britain, locals expressed their frustration with the process. Louse and Dee said they were living in temporary accommodation and claimed the increasing numbers of asylum seekers in the area was making the housing shortage worse. Louise, 37, said: 'I'm currently homeless. The houses go to the asylum seekers rather than the actual homeless. 'I'm in a shared accommodation and I am technically homeless. 'I think the Government should be looking after their own before helping other people. 'I don't think the city can handle the amount of people coming in.' Dee, 38, said she had to live separately from her husband just to find a bed to sleep in and blasted the Government. 'I think it's ridiculous that asylum seekers can come over here and get housed but my husband, who has paid taxes his whole life, is on the street. 'I'm homeless too, we've had to separate so that one of us can get somewhere to sleep. 'I don't think we can handle the numbers, we can't house the people who are from this city. 'If they come over here and work and pay into the system, fair play to them. I know diverse people who I call my family. But the fact is, we need to help our own.' In Manchester in November 2024, protesters against asylum seekers being housed locally held up signs which said 'House Our Homeless First'. There have been some recent cases of local authorities block-booking entire hotels for homeless people, in the same way the Home Office does for asylum seekers. Last year Milton Keynes council signed a deal to use all 140 rooms of Harben House Hotel for five years, which it will use to house homeless people. A report in August revealed that the council was spending around £20m a year on temporary accommodation mainly in the private rented sector and it needed to find lower cost spaces. In the battle for scarce accommodation, councils have lost out on renting hotels due to Home Office contractors seeking space for asylum seekers outbidding them. Furthermore, many asylum seekers become homeless once they are granted refugee status and have to find their own accommodation. They are given 56 days to move on from asylum accommodation following the issue of their decision, which was extended from 28 days in December, but some campaigners complain it is still not enough time. The No Accommodation Network (Naccom), an umbrella organisation for 140 frontline groups working with asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants across the UK, said homelessness among refugees has doubled in the last year. In data shared with the Guardian in November, it said 1,941 refugees had now found themselves without accommodation – the highest number they had ever dealt with. A Government spokesperson said: 'This analysis is incorrect and misleading as it compares the number of individual asylum seekers with homeless households, which can contain more than one person. 'We've taken immediate action to fix the broken asylum system this Government inherited, by increasing asylum decision making by 52 per cent and removing 30,000 people with no right to be here. We have already made asylum savings of half a billion. 'We are also taking urgent and decisive action to end homelessness, fix the foundations of local Government and drive forward our Plan for Change by providing £1bn for crucial homelessness services this year so councils can support families faster.'
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pendle caterers encouraged to join rewards scheme for healthy eating
Catering businesses in Pendle are being encouraged to sign up to a scheme that rewards caterers for offering healthy eating options. The Recipe 4 Health programme, led by Lancashire County Council, supports takeaways, cafés, and mobile caterers. To join the scheme, businesses must have a Food Hygiene Rating of three stars or above. Jamal Dermott, from Lancashire County Council, said: "The Recipe 4 Health scheme rewards food businesses which offer a range of healthier snacks and meals, including salads, food with lower salt and sugar, grilled dishes, smaller portions, and water as an option if people want to avoid sugary fizzy drinks. "We are urging as many Pendle catering businesses as possible to sign up to the scheme, which has many free benefits. "These include free promotion of your business; free support in making positive changes to your menus, policies, and practices; and the opportunity to earn £1,000 per week contracts during the school holidays." Pendle businesses which are Recipe 4 Health accredited can be considered as food providers for the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which provides activities and nutritious meals during school holidays. For more information and to sign up to the scheme, visit
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Labour MP accuses families impacted by Labour's tax raid on private schools of 'crying to the courts' after they lost High Court bid to stop VAT on school fees
A Labour MP has accused families impacted by the private school tax raid of 'crying to the courts' after they lost a bid to stop the VAT on fees. Families were dealt a devastating blow after they lost a High Court challenge to the taxes on fees. The judicial review claim, heard earlier this year, aimed to have the 20 per cent tax declared 'incompatible' with human rights law. However, in a decision handed down on Friday, judges rejected all claims, despite agreeing with some of the arguments. Jonathan Hinder, the MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, criticised the families, saying taking the case to High Court was 'crazy'. He said in a post on X: 'A tax commitment included in an election-winning manifesto, duly delivered. That's democracy. Campaign to reverse it if you like. Fine. 'But this habit of going crying to the courts all the time is silly. Obviously the right decision, but crazy that it got to the High Court.' The controversial tax, pledged in Labour's manifesto, came into force in January this year. The MP has accused families impacted by the private school tax raid of 'crying to the courts' after they lost a bid to stop the VAT on fees Three groups of families – most of whom are anonymous – joined private schools in bringing a legal challenge against the policy. Their lawyers argued the tax is a breach of children's right to an education under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The various families also said it was 'discriminatory' – either because their child has special educational needs (SEN), has a preference for a religious education, or because they need an all-girls environment. But Dame Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Newey and Mr Justice Chamberlain concluded the VAT policy was 'proportionate' in its aim to raise extra revenue for state schools. They added Parliament ultimately had the right make the decision. A spokesman for the lobby group Education not Taxation told The Telegraph: 'The court's ruling that the taxation of independent schooling is discriminatory and will have a disproportionate, prejudicial effect on children with SEN clearly demonstrates that any 'crying to the courts' was entirely justified. 'While it is disappointing that the court ruled the action is not illegal, it nevertheless makes a powerful statement: the policy is discriminatory.' Julie Robinson, the chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), said that schools were 'right' to have escalated the challenge to the High Court. She said: 'Thousands of families have already been negatively affected by the policy, with more than 11,000 children leaving independent education since last year – far more than had been anticipated by the government.' At the opening of the court case in April, families of children with SEN from all over the country protested outside. They said they have been forced to choose the private sector due to the state provision for SEN being so poor – but cannot afford the extra cost of the VAT. Alicia Kearns, the shadow minister for home affairs, described Hinder's tweets as 'class warfare'. She said: 'Parents in my communities have been put through enormous stress and their children's education disrupted. 'They do not deserve the ridicule of Labour MPs indulging in class warfare and crowing about manifesto promises whilst glaringly silent on the extra money promised for state schools. 'I wouldn't be quite so glib if my ideological experiment had left our state schools worse off.' The ruling comes after a £43,000-a-year boarding school has been forced to make the 'heart-wrenching' decision to close after 125 years following Labour's tax raid on private education. Queen Margaret's School For Girls in York said they are 'unable to withstand mounting financial pressure'. The school also blamed 'increased national insurance and pension contributions, the removal of charitable-status business rates relief, and rising costs for the upkeep and operation of our estate'. The 125-year-old institution said that 'tireless efforts' in the past 18 months to 'respond to these challenges' included a possible merger or sale and the search for 'fresh investment'. However, the school said 'none of these routes resulted in a successful outcome' and coupled with declining entries, it has 'been left with no alternative' but to close. After 'strong student enquiry levels' in Autumn, the school said 'these declined sharply in early 2025 following the implementation of VAT' and is 'below the viable level required' to keep the school open.
Telegraph
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Labour MP accuses families hit by private school tax raid of ‘crying to the courts'
A Labour MP has accused families hit by the private school tax raid of 'crying to the courts'. Jonathan Hinder, the MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, criticised families who were hit by Labour's 20 per cent VAT levy on private school fees after they lost their challenge at the High Court on Friday. He said taking the case to the High Court was 'crazy', before adding in the post to X: 'A tax commitment included in an election-winning manifesto, duly delivered. That's democracy. Campaign to reverse it if you like. Fine. 'But this habit of going crying to the courts all the time is silly. Obviously the right decision, but crazy that it got to the High Court.' Three separate challenges were heard together in a judicial review between April 1 and 3, using more than a dozen families as case studies. In a single written judgment issued on Friday, the three judges presiding over the case said they 'dismiss the claims'. Dame Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Newey and Mr Justice Chamberlain said the VAT policy was 'proportionate' in its aim to raise extra revenue for state schools. A spokesman for the lobby group Education not Taxation told The Telegraph that 'crying to the courts' was 'entirely justified'. He said: 'The court's ruling that the taxation of independent schooling is discriminatory and will have a disproportionate, prejudicial effect on children with special educational needs (SEN) clearly demonstrates that any 'crying to the courts' was entirely justified. 'Without the action taken by the claimants, the government's prejudicial behaviour would have gone unchecked, obscured by the false narratives and political spin used to justify this attack on educational choice. 'While it is disappointing that the court ruled the action is not illegal, it nevertheless makes a powerful statement: the policy is discriminatory.' Julie Robinson, the chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), said that schools were 'right' to have escalated the challenge to the High Court. The ISC was part of the legal challenge and represents more than 1,400 private schools. 'This is an unprecedented tax on education and it is right that its compatibility with human rights law was tested,' she said. 'Thousands of families have already been negatively affected by the policy, with more than 11,000 children leaving independent education since last year – far more than had been anticipated by the government. 'As the court noted, there was interference with human rights and this policy is likely to have an outsized impact on families of faith and children with SEND but without an EHCP.' In the wake of the VAT hike, private schools across the country have been forced to close. Queen Margaret's School for Girls in York said it had been forced to make the 'deeply distressing' decision to close following Labour's VAT raid. The £43,000-a-year boarding school said it was 'unable to withstand mounting financial pressures' after the introduction of the tax in January led to student enquiries 'declining sharply'. According to the school's website, the enrolment numbers for the coming academic year were below the level needed to keep the school open. The 'heart-wrenching' decision was taken after failing to secure fresh investment. The school also blamed 'increased national insurance and pension contributions, the removal of charitable-status business rates relief, and rising costs for the upkeep and operation of our estate'. Queen Margaret's alumni include the socialite Manners sisters – Lady Violet, Lady Alice, and Lady Eliza – daughters of the 11th Duke and Duchess of Rutland. The independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 was due to celebrate its 125th anniversary next year. It will close at the end of their summer term on July 5. Alicia Kearns, the shadow minister for home affairs, described the tweets as 'class warfare'. She said: 'Parents in my communities have been put through enormous stress and their children's education disrupted. 'They do not deserve the ridicule of Labour MPs indulging in class warfare and crowing about manifesto promises whilst glaringly silent on the extra money promised for state schools. 'No sign of keeping that promise, quite the opposite as state schools struggle and Labour Ministers this week admit their funding is insufficient to cover staff pay rises next year, and the NEU calling it a 'crisis in funding'. 'I wouldn't be quite so glib if my ideological experiment had left our state schools worse off.'
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Leverage Reconfigures in Q1: DeFi Recovers, CeFi Quietly Expands, Treasury Debt Mounts
Leverage across the crypto economy is evolving, not evaporating. Total crypto-collateralized lending fell 4.9% quarter-over-quarter to $39.07 billion, the first decline since late 2023, Galaxy Research's Q1 2025 report shows. But while the headline figure contracted, underlying dynamics suggest leverage is shifting form, not fading. Lending in decentralized finance (DeFi) lending took a hit early in the quarter, sliding as much as 21%, before rebounding sharply in April and May. The turnaround was driven largely by Aave's integration of Pendle tokens, whose yield-bearing structure and high loan-to-value ratios (up to 90%) sparked a wave of fresh borrowing. By late May, DeFi borrowing had surged more than 30% off the lows, with Ethereum leading the recovery. Centralized finance (CeFi) lending climbed 9.24% to $13.51 billion, led by Tether, Ledn, and Two Prime. Still, Galaxy notes that a narrow set of public disclosures limits visibility into the true scope of centralized lending. Private desks, OTC platforms, and offshore credit providers likely push the actual total far higher. perhaps by 50% or more. Meanwhile, bitcoin BTC treasury companies are quietly becoming a new systemic leverage node. Firms like Strategy (MSTR) have issued billions in convertible debt to fund BTC purchases. As of May, total outstanding debt across treasury firms stood at $12.7 billion, much of it set to mature between 2027 and 2028. In derivatives, CME's rising open interest especially in ether ETH futures signals accelerating institutional participation. At the same time, upstart exchange Hyperliquid has carved out a growing share of the perpetual futures market, underscoring the continued strength of retail-driven leverage. The report points to an increasingly interconnected market structure, one where stress in a single venue or instrument could reverberate quickly across the ecosystem. Leverage, in crypto's current cycle, may be more fragmented than before — but it's no less potent. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
