In a letter to Durham County Council, the Home Office confirmed it had instructed its accommodation provider, Mears, to begin sourcing properties in County Durham again. According to the Home Office, the review found County Durham now needs an extra 100 to 150 bed spaces for asylum seekers. The latest Home Office figures, published in December 2025, show 566 asylum seekers were living in Home Office-funded accommodation across County Durham. Those figures cover people awaiting decisions on their asylum claims who are being supported through the national asylum accommodation system. It said it would continue working with Durham County Council and Mears as procurement resumes, while ensuring the county can meet its share of the national demand for asylum accommodation.