Fylde Council says the private housing market in the borough is being “significantly impacted” by asylum accommodation contracts, but a Freedom of Information response revealed that just 23 properties are currently used under Serco’s Home Office agreements, prompting scrutiny over how the council defines “significant impact” in relation to the available data. Furthermore a subsequent email from Fylde Council confirmed that there has been no measurable change in housing availability or waiting list length.
The local authority’s statement, issued in October 2025, called for the UK Government to suspend Serco’s private housing procurement and provide “urgent support” to protect homes for local residents.
However, internal disclosures and corporate responses indicate a more complex picture, highlighting gaps in available data and differences in interpretation between the parties.
The numbers tell a different story
When Fylde Council passed its motion on asylum accommodation in September 2025, the accompanying press release stated that private homes were being taken out of the local market for asylum placements, leaving the borough struggling without consultation or resources. According to Freedom of Information response 1905 (email correspondence with the council), “23 properties with 106 bed spaces” are currently used under Serco contracts within the Fylde area, however this is at odds witht the latest council correspondence which stated that “23 properties with 93 bed spaces” are currently being used under Serco contracts within the Fylde area.
Fylde’s latest housing stock estimate is around 36,000 dwellings, meaning Serco’s share is roughly 0.06% of all homes in the borough. The FOI response also confirmed that Fylde Council does not source asylum accommodation and has not conducted new housing availability research since its 2022 Housing Need Survey, which is not due for renewal until 2027.
There is therefore no current local data quantifying whether asylum accommodation has affected affordability, waiting lists, or homelessness demand. Like many parts of the North West, Fydle faces an acute shortage of affordable rental homes and long social housing waiting lists. However, attributing these issues directly to Serco’s Home Office contracts is, on the face of the evidence, a stretch.
Three C’s – consultation, confusion and contradiction
Fylde Council’s second major concern, a “lack of consultation” from Serco and the Home Office, is disputed by the company itself.
In response to our media query, Serco’s Head of Media Relations, Helen Bell, stated that the company operates strictly under Home Office direction. Landlords choose whether to offer their properties for asylum accommodation, and Serco follows a “rigorous due diligence process” that includes seeking agreement from local authorities.
“We engage directly through monthly governance calls and a dedicated partnership team,” Bell said. “Fylde Council are aware of the procurement process and volumes in relation to asylum accommodation. The Home Office has a policy to spread the number of asylum seekers fairly across the country”. This directly contradicts the council’s claims regarding private homes being taken for asylum seekers and thus leaving a shortfall. Furthermore the FOI response confirms that Fylde Council attends regional meetings to discuss refugee programmes across the North West which suggests that some communication takes place, though the extent to which this influences local placement decisions remains unclear.
Local housing context
Shelter Lancashire and Homeless Action Fylde Coast both report rising demand for advice and temporary accommodation but do not attribute the situation to asylum placements. Both organisations highlight private rent inflation, the loss of Section 21 protections, and a shortage of social housing as key causes of local housing pressure.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), private rents in the North West have risen by more than 20% since 2021, outpacing wage growth.
Data and evidence
Fylde Council’s FOI disclosure and an email dating December 2025 confirm there has been no measurable change in housing availability or waiting list length, although homelessness presentations have increased, with details provided in the council’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025–2030.
Without current monitoring of housing availability, affordability, or waiting-list pressures, it is difficult to assess whether external factors, such as asylum accommodation, are affecting the local market.
The Local Government Association has called for improved data sharing between the Home Office, contractors, and councils, emphasising that concerns should be based on measurable evidence.
Fylde Council’s press release did not include data or case examples, and the FOI response provided no record of formal correspondence with the Home Office or Serco beyond the public statement itself.
Between politics and policy
Fylde Council’s call for action has drawn attention to local housing pressures and to how asylum dispersal policy operates in practice.
However, the council’s FOI responses and Serco’s statement indicate that the scale of the issue may be smaller than initially implied.
With 23 properties involved, no recent data tracking housing impact, and regional engagement already in place, the claim of a “significant impact” lacks supporting evidence. At a time when housing affordability remains under strain, the instinct to protect local residents is understandable, but effective policy requires transparency, verified data, and clear communication between local and national government.
Fylde’s motion has highlighted a real area of public concern, the need for adequate housing, but the available evidence shows the borough’s wider housing challenge extends far beyond the 23 homes managed under Serco’s contracts.
