The UK Home Office has confirmed the extension of operations at Napier Barracks, reversing earlier plans to close the site by summer 2025. The move comes in response to a sharp increase in small boat arrivals, putting additional pressure on the UK’s asylum system.
According to a Home Office update submitted to Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee in March 2025, Napier Barracks will now remain operational until September 2025, after which it is expected to be returned to the Ministry of Defence.
Napier, located in Kent, was originally scheduled to close in the coming weeks, and asylum seeker numbers had been reduced to around 40. However, due to a 50% year-on-year rise in Channel crossings, the site is once again being used to accommodate new arrivals, with numbers rapidly increasing.
Pressure Mounts on Asylum Infrastructure
The Wethersfield site in Essex, the UK’s other mass accommodation centre, has also seen its population swell to approximately 1,200—an increase of over 50%. These facilities have long faced criticism for their military-style setup, lack of resources, and mental health implications for residents.
Earlier attempts to open similar centres at RAF Scampton and Linton-on-Ouse failed. The Home Office was recently found to have lost at least £48 million on the Scampton project, despite no asylum seekers ever being housed there.
NGOs Warn of Growing Humanitarian Concerns
Napier Barracks has drawn controversy since its opening, including a mass Covid outbreak, deteriorating facilities, and far-right protests. Local NGOs warn that the extended use of the site without support services will worsen conditions.
Sally Hough, director of the Napier Drop-In Centre, said:
“Our funding is due to run out in August to coincide with the closure of the camp, so it’s hugely disappointing to know the camp will continue without this essential support hub.”
Steve Smith, CEO of Care4Calais, added:
“The return to large-scale, militarised sites is deeply troubling. People are being sent to Napier directly from Manston with nothing but the clothes on their backs. These environments are retraumatising and not fit for vulnerable individuals.”
Home Office Responds to Criticism
A Home Office spokesperson stated the government remains committed to reducing the cost of asylum accommodation and ending the use of asylum hotels by the end of the current parliament. They confirmed that updates on specific sites would be communicated to relevant stakeholders as per protocol.
