What is happening with asylum seekers in Aberdeen student halls
In late 2025, the UK Home Office and its accommodation contractor Mears began moving asylum seekers out of hotels in and around Aberdeen and into former student halls in the city. Two sites became the focus: Farmers Hall Lodge in the Rosemount area and the Don Street halls in Old Aberdeen, near Seaton Park. The move was part of the government’s stated commitment to close asylum hotels nationwide and shift to what it calls cheaper, more appropriate accommodation.
The change was controversial from the start. Aberdeen City Council said it had not been consulted, raised concerns about planning law, and even explored a possible legal challenge. This guide explains what happened, why, the financial facts behind the headlines, and the wider context, since this is a news and policy topic rather than a guide to booking student housing.
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Why former student halls are being used
The background is a national policy shift. As of December 2024, around 110,000 people seeking asylum were being accommodated across the UK, roughly a third of them in hotels. Hotels are expensive and politically contentious, and the government committed to ending their use for asylum accommodation. To do that, the Home Office and its contractors (Mears, Serco and Clearsprings) have been seeking cheaper alternatives, including disused buildings.
Aberdeen became a focus for a specific reason that local figures have pointed to: relatively low property costs in the city mean contractors can save money. Several student accommodation buildings in Aberdeen had spare capacity, and the Home Office moved to use them. The first asylum seekers moved into the Farmers Hall complex in Rosemount in September 2025, with the Don Street halls in Old Aberdeen following later in the year, including a group reportedly moving up from Dundee in November 2025 after a contract there ended.
How much do asylum seekers get per week in Scotland?
This is one of the most commonly searched questions on the topic, so here are the verified facts. Asylum support is a matter reserved to the UK government, which means the rates are the same across Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
| Type of accommodation | Weekly cash allowance per person |
| Self-catered accommodation (must buy own food) | £49.18 |
| Full-board / catered accommodation (meals provided) | £8.86 |
| Extra for pregnant women / child aged 1-3 Additional | £5.25 |
The £49.18 figure (roughly £7 a day) is intended to cover essential living needs: food, clothing, toiletries, travel, and communications. It is paid onto a prepaid debit card known as an Aspen card. Asylum seekers in full-board accommodation, where meals are provided, receive the much lower £8.86 per week because food is already covered. For context, the mainstream Universal Credit rate is around £92 per week, so asylum support sits well below standard benefits, and refugee charities argue it pushes people below the poverty line. Most asylum seekers are not permitted to work while waiting for a decision, so they cannot supplement this income.
A practical note relevant to the Aberdeen halls: residents in self-catered student flats would receive the £49.18 rate, since they buy and cook their own food, whereas those previously in catered hotels received the lower rate.
Which UK city has the most asylum seekers today?
Asylum seekers are dispersed across the UK under the Home Office’s dispersal accommodation system, and people generally cannot choose where they are placed. Numbers shift constantly as the Home Office opens and closes sites, so any snapshot dates quickly.
Historically, cities in the north of England and the Midlands, such as Glasgow (Scotland’s main dispersal city for years), and large English cities, including those in the northwest, have hosted some of the highest numbers of dispersed asylum seekers, because dispersal has long been concentrated in areas with cheaper housing rather than in high-cost areas like central London. Glasgow has been Scotland’s principal dispersal city. Aberdeen’s numbers are smaller but were set to rise: a confidential council briefing leaked in 2025 indicated plans to increase the number of asylum seekers in Aberdeen from around 350 to nearly 800.
Because these figures change frequently and official statistics are published with a lag, anyone needing the current authoritative numbers should consult the Home Office immigration statistics and the House of Commons Library briefings, which are updated regularly.
Why Aberdeen City Council objected
The council’s objections, led by co-leader Christian Allard, centered on a few specific points rather than opposition to hosting asylum seekers in principle:
Lack of consultation. The council said it was not informed or consulted before the Home Office decided to repurpose the buildings, learning of decisions through media reports.
Planning law concerns. The buildings had planning permission as student accommodation. SNP figures including Allard and Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart argued the Home Office and Mears were running “roughshod” over planning law by changing the use without permission. The council explored whether the title deeds of the Don Street halls offered any legal route to challenge the change. Council planners ultimately indicated the owners did not need fresh planning permission for the change of use.
Pressure on local services. Residents and councillors raised concerns about whether already-stretched local services could cope and whether the Home Office would contribute financially to the city.
Safety and community cohesion. Allard emphasized that his biggest concern was the wellbeing and safety of everyone, asylum seekers and existing residents alike, especially after protests and counter-protests in Aberdeen and other Scottish towns such as Perth and Falkirk. He urged people not to participate in intimidating gatherings.
Importantly, council leaders were careful to stress that Aberdeen is a welcoming city and that their objection was to the process and suitability rather than to asylum seekers themselves.
What it means for students and the buildings
For students, the direct practical impact is that the affected buildings, Farmers Hall Lodge and the Don Street halls, are being used for asylum accommodation rather than as student housing for the period of the Home Office arrangement. These were buildings with spare capacity rather than halls full of students who were displaced. Students looking for accommodation in Aberdeen have many other options across the city’s purpose-built student accommodation and university-managed halls.
For the wider debate, the Aberdeen situation is a local example of a national policy tension: the drive to close expensive asylum hotels, the search for cheaper buildings, the friction with local planning and consultation processes, and the strong feelings the topic generates in communities. The Home Office briefing also noted it was considering exiting some Aberdeen hotel sites in early 2026 as the shift to other accommodation continued.
Where to find authoritative, up-to-date information
Because this is a fast-moving news and policy topic, the most reliable sources for current facts are the following:
- The House of Commons Library briefings on asylum support and accommodation, updated regularly
- The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, for analysis and statistics
- Home Office immigration statistics, for official dispersal numbers
- Local reporting, such as The Press and Journal, for the Aberdeen-specific developments
This article reflects information reported up to mid-2026; given how quickly the situation evolves, check those sources for the latest position.
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FAQs
Why are asylum seekers being housed in Aberdeen student halls?
The Home Office and its contractor Mears moved asylum seekers from hotels into former student halls at Farmers Hall Lodge (Rosemount) and Don Street (Old Aberdeen) from late 2025 as part of a national policy to close expensive asylum hotels and use cheaper accommodation. Aberdeen’s relatively low property costs were cited as a factor.
How much do asylum seekers get per week in Scotland?
Asylum support is set UK-wide, so the same rates apply in Scotland. People in self-catered accommodation receive £49.18 per person per week, while those in full-board accommodation with meals provided receive £8.86 per week. Pregnant women and parents of children aged one to three get an extra £5.25. The money is paid onto an Aspen prepaid card.
Which UK city has the most asylum seekers today?
Numbers change constantly and people cannot choose where they are placed under the dispersal system. Glasgow has long been Scotland’s main dispersal city, and large cities in the north of England and the Midlands have historically hosted high numbers because dispersal is concentrated in lower-cost housing areas. For current authoritative figures, consult Home Office immigration statistics and House of Commons Library briefings.
Did Aberdeen City Council approve the use of student halls for asylum seekers?
No. The council, led by co-leader Christian Allard, said it was not consulted, raised planning-law concerns, and explored a possible legal challenge. Council planners indicated the building owners did not need fresh planning permission for the change of use. The council stressed its objection was to the process, not to hosting asylum seekers.
How many asylum seekers are in Aberdeen?
A confidential council briefing leaked in 2025 indicated plans to increase the number in Aberdeen from around 350 to nearly 800. Numbers change as the Home Office opens and closes sites, so check current official sources for the latest figure.
Were students evicted to house asylum seekers in Aberdeen?
No. The buildings used (Farmers Hall Lodge and Don Street) had spare capacity rather than being full of students who were displaced. Students in Aberdeen have many other purpose-built and university-managed accommodation options across the city.