Elected Member Briefing - Further misinformation re asylum seeker accommodation

About this Briefing Note

Report by: Lisa Potter, Service Manager - Strategic Communications and Engagement

Date: 2 October 2025

Subject: Further misinformation re asylum seeker accommodation

Responsible Officer: Elaine Ritchie, Strategic Lead - Housing and Communities

Details

Purpose

To advise elected members on the facts relating to rumours being circulated on social media, within private groups and in messaging apps about additional accommodation opening for asylum seekers in Perth.

Briefing Information

We are continuing to see evidence of the intentional or unintentional spreading of misinformation on social media claiming that there are plans to open additional asylum seeker accommodation in the area. The most recent of these gaining traction is around the use of the former Kilgraston School building about which there is now an online petition against with upwards of 600 signatures so far.

There is no truth to these rumours, and we will shortly be publishing on social media the following statement which it would be appreciated if you could share/signpost to. The statement is also available on our website if it's easier for you to share to a web page rather than a social media post. Your continued support in helping to tackle the spread of misinformation and encourage residents to seek reliable sources of information instead is appreciated.

Statement for social media

Unfortunately, the rumour mill is at it again suggesting that the vacant former Kilgraston School building is going to be used for asylum seekers. This is not true.
 
Please do remember to consider the sources of rumours and question if it seems likely that they would have access to information that hasn't been confirmed by any official body.
To be clear, the current procedures with the Home Office is that the Council will be informed of any new property being used to house asylum seekers in Perth and Kinross. That's whether it's group accommodation like a hotel or individual private flats/houses.

There is no change to the situation in Perth. There are two hotels in use in Perth for this purpose and we have had no information or indication that they are looking for another building to house multiple asylum seekers in the area.

If, and this is a big if at this stage, a building like that was to be used for this purpose, a Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence would almost certainly be required. Again, we've had no applications for this kind of licence, or enquiries about the process for gaining a licence for any other Perth and Kinross building for the purposes of housing asylum seekers. Another confirmation that this is just a rumour.

We have previously shared information on our website about how we are told about accommodation for people seeking asylum, as well as numbers of asylum seekers in the area, and you can find this on our Freedom of Information pages.