The Crowborough asylum camp has capacity for 540 residents, while an ITV investigation raises questions about welfare checks and placements for people who survived torture.
The Guardian reported that an ITV reporter said four or five survivors should not have been housed at Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex. ITV based its investigation on recordings the reporter gathered while employed at the camp in a welfare role. The U.K. Home Office says asylum seekers began arriving there Jan. 22.
Clearsprings Ready Homes manages the site for the Home Office. Government policy guidance describes the use of alternative accommodation as part of an effort to reduce reliance on hotels.
The monthly schedule called for Clearsprings officers to complete two full welfare reviews. ITV footage appears to show staff admitting that some required questions were skipped. One officer said file flags in residents’ records had not been revisited, and staff appeared to say they were behind on a monthly target of 1,000 checks.
The allegations come months after a High Court ruling on an earlier policy that required some torture survivors to share rooms. The court found the government had failed to consult two specialist charities and assess the effects on survivors. The ruling did not determine whether any individual placement at Crowborough was unlawful. Home Office guidance updated July 29 restored earlier protections pending further consideration; it says people whose evaluations confirm special needs after torture, rape or other serious violence are unsuitable for former military sites and shared rooms.
A Home Office spokesperson said the department would investigate the allegations thoroughly and expects staff and contractors to meet its standards. The Guardian said it had approached Clearsprings for comment. Louise Calvey, executive director of Asylum Matters, urged the government to review its use of camps.
Inside The Asylum Camp is scheduled to air Sunday, Nov. 15, at 5:15 p.m. ET (22:15 UTC) on ITV1 and ITV X.
