The 17 parts of the UK with no asylum seekers mapped as Andy Burnham vows to make middle-class areas take more migrants
The article maps 17 UK local authority areas said to have no asylum seekers housed in them, amid a political dispute over how accommodation for people seeking asylum should be distributed. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has argued that more affluent areas should take a greater share, saying the current system places disproportionate pressure on poorer communities.
It reports that Labour figures have defended proposals to spread accommodation more evenly, including criticism surrounding plans to place 1,200 asylum seekers in a village with about 400 residents. The issue highlights tensions between central government asylum policy, local capacity and concerns about whether communities are sharing responsibilities fairly.
- Seventeen UK areas reportedly house no asylum seekers.
- Andy Burnham wants wealthier areas to take more.
- The debate centres on fairness and local capacity.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters argue that asylum accommodation should be shared more fairly across the country, rather than concentrating pressures in poorer areas that may already face stretched housing, schools and public services. They see a more even distribution, including in affluent communities with greater resources, as both a matter of social justice and a practical way to improve integration and reduce resentment. The underlying value is that national responsibilities should not be borne disproportionately by those with the least capacity to absorb them.
The case against
Critics argue that accommodation should be determined chiefly by suitable available housing, local infrastructure and the views of affected communities, not by a symbolic effort to make wealthier places take a prescribed share. They may worry that proposals for small villages or rural areas can strain services, transport and community cohesion regardless of residents' average income, while large-scale or camp-style sites may be inappropriate for vulnerable people seeking asylum. The underlying value is that policy should be locally workable, humane and based on genuine capacity rather than broad social classifications.