Highland Council currently cares for 72 of the 380 unaccompanied young asylum seekers in Scotland, earning national recognition despite severe public service strains. Under the revised system, the council's intake rises from one child per cycle to five, financed by daily government payments of £143 for minors. Council officials contend that the Home Office's calculation model unfairly penalizes the region for its lack of adult asylum accommodation. The Home Office defended the policy by pointing to the National Transfer Scheme and local authorities' statutory duties.
Key points
Regional officials argue the distribution formula overlooks local workforce constraints a…: Regional officials argue the distribution formula overlooks local workforce constraints and a 24,000-home shortage.
The cancellation of adult asylum housing at Cameron Barracks directly triggered an increa…: The cancellation of adult asylum housing at Cameron Barracks directly triggered an increase in the council's child refugee quota.
The Home Office maintains that councils have a legal duty to support unaccompanied minors…: The Home Office maintains that councils have a legal duty to support unaccompanied minors under the National Transfer Scheme.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
- Published
Highland Council says a Home Office algorithm has allocated it with a "significant increase" in unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to look after.
The local authority said it had received national recognition for its work with the young people, many of them fleeing war or persecution.
But it said the rise in numbers would be challenging due to a lack of housing in its area, adding that the algorithm did not take into account the local situation.
The Home Office said councils had a statutory duty to support children arriving in the UK without a parent or guardian, and it was committed to working closely with authorities to help them meet their obligations.
Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) are those under the age of 18 who arrive in the UK to apply for international protection on their own, without the support of an adult.
Many of them are fleeing their homeland because of political or religious persecution, war or famine.
There are 380 UASCs being looked after in Scotland, according to Scottish government figures for 31 July 2025, external.
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