Freedom of Information

Making a Freedom of Information (FOI) request

You can make a request for information under the terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 by emailing FOI@pkc.gov.uk or by writing to the FOI team.

You need to tell us your real name, and give us a description of the information you want to see. You don't need to tell us why you want the information.

We are happy to advise you on how to obtain the information you're looking for; please feel free to contact us for guidance. You can also look at our Publication Scheme for details of information which is made available routinely.

Responding to your request

We will acknowledge your request when we receive it, and respond within 20 working days. If you do not receive an acknowledgment of your request, please contact us by emailing FOI@pkc.gov.uk or telephoning 01738 477933 to ensure that it has been received.

If we don't hold the information you've requested, or if we decide to withhold it, we will advise you of this. If you disagree with our response you have the right to ask us to review our decision (PDF, 203 KB). If you are still unhappy after a review, you can appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner.

Environmental information

Requests for environmental information are dealt with under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004. You don't need to tell us if you consider your request to be environmental information; the FOI team will do this.

Requests for personal information

If you would like to access personal data that we hold about you, you can make a Subject Access Request. View our Accessing your information - Subject Access Requests page or email DataProtection@pkc.gov.uk for further details.

Disclosure log

Disclosure log

Frequently Asked Questions in relation to asylum seekers and refugees in the Perth and Kinross Council area

The names of any hotel(s)/temporary accommodation in the Perth and Kinross Council area which are or have been used to house asylum seekers

There are two hotels in the Perth and Kinross Council area which are used to house asylum seekers. However, we consider that information relating to the names of these hotels is exempt information under the terms of Section 35 (1) (a) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, which states that "Information is exempt if.... its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the prevention or detection of crime".

In applying this exemption, we are required to consider the public interest. In doing so, we have considered the following:

• the general presumption in favour of disclosure
• the current public and political interest in issues surrounding refugees and asylum seekers

However:

• we note the very serious disturbances that have occurred in other cities within the UK as a consequence of misinformation relating to refugees and asylum seekers
• there is a public interest in ensuring that all citizens within our local authority area feel safe and able to access services to which they are entitled, free from discrimination
• there is also a public interest in maintaining good law and order within our local authority area

We consider that there is a significant probability that the disclosure of the information requested into the public domain could lead to public disorder. We therefore consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

The number of asylum seekers housed each year in these hotels

The current population of people seeking asylum within the two hotels is 191 (figure as at 14 August 2025). Please be advised that this figure fluctuates as individuals receive decisions on their asylum claims and move out of the hotel accommodation. Since November 2021, the Council receives fortnightly updates from Mears Group plc (the Home Office's hotel support provider) as to the current figures.

Plans to accommodate more asylum seekers in the area, or to commission more hotels to accommodate them

The Council has a weekly meeting with the Home Office to discuss arrangements for asylum seekers within Perth and Kinross, and you will be aware that there are already a number based in two hotels in Perth. Where a need for more accommodation is identified, the Home Office, and its partner Mears Group plc, must request the assistance of the local authority to find accommodation and a full assessment needs to be made prior to any further accommodation being recommended to the Home Office. No such assessment has been requested or undertaken in relation to any hotel or other property in the area. Consequently, any rumours which are being circulated at present are completely untrue.

In terms of Section 17 (1) (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, this is formal notice that this information is not held by us.

Details of refugees in the Perth and Kinross Council area

Please see below details of the Resettlement Schemes, the number of refugees resettled, and the year of arrival in the Council area.

*Please note the figure for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme is the known population in Perth and Kinross which is taken from a live data set and is correct as of 12 May 2025.

The amount of funding received by Perth and Kinross Council from the UK and Scottish Governments to support the resettlement and community integration of refugees

Refugees who are being resettled through formal humanitarian protection programmes come with substantial funding from the UK Government. This funding is provided on a 'per person' basis and is sufficient to meet all costs associated with resettlement and community integration.

In the last 5 years, we have received around £5.6 million from the UK and Scottish Governments for this activity. Most of this funding is associated with supporting people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.

Specifically, please see the table below detailing the amount received by us from the UK Government as part of the Refugee Resettlement schemes.

The cost of accommodating asylum seekers in the Perth and Kinross Council area

No Council Tax funding, or any other kind of Council funding, is used to pay for the accommodation or placement of asylum seekers. The Home Office commissions and pays for the accommodation of asylum seekers in the Perth and Kinross Council area. In terms of Section 17 (1) (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, this is formal notice that this information is not recorded by us.

We can advise that GOV.UK provides details on how to make a freedom of information (FOI) request to the Home Office.

Please be advised that if an individual's asylum claim is accepted, they become eligible for housing and homelessness assistance, benefits, and so on. At this point, there are costs to local authorities and other public sector bodies, but these costs are in line with duties to meet the needs of an individual/family who has been determined to be eligible for these services.

Funding received by Perth and Kinross Council to assist with costs for supporting asylum seekers

The Home Office has made funding available to local authorities in England, Wales, and Scotland from 1 April 2025 to assist with eligible expenditure costs of supporting asylum seekers in asylum accommodation.

The Council has received the following Home Office Asylum Seeker Dispersal Funding so far (as of 14 August 2025):

This has been allocated as follows:

The nationality of those who applied for and who were granted either social housing or temporary accommodation by Perth and Kinross Council

We can advise that we do not hold the information requested in the format requested. This is because we do not hold nationality data for housing applicants or Council tenants in housing properties, nor do we hold this information for other social housing providers.

Therefore, in terms of Section 17 (1) (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, this is formal notice that this information is not recorded.

We can advise we ask for ethnicity information at the application stage however, these questions are not mandatory, and a large number of applicants choose not to answer these questions.

Details of asylum seekers or refugees awaiting the outcome of their housing application

We can advise that we do not hold this information.

Asylum seekers are not eligible for housing or homelessness assistance from the local authority. The Home Office is responsible for accommodating asylum seekers; for your convenience, you can contact their information management team by accessing their webpage. If their asylum claim is successful, they are usually awarded 'humanitarian protection' or 'refugee' status, at which point they become eligible for housing and homelessness assistance and social housing.

Where individuals and families with refugee status are resettled in Perth and Kinross through formal resettlement schemes, private-sector accommodation is typically sourced. In some cases, these people/families may move onto social housing, but we are unable to provide accurate numbers for this.

In terms of Section 17 (1) (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, this is formal notice that the information you have requested is not recorded by us.

Details of inspections carried out on asylum accommodation by Environmental Health Officers

The number of individuals in the Perth and Kinross Council area who have been granted asylum status and subsequently presented as homeless

An asylum seeker who has a successful claim is usually granted either 'humanitarian protection' or 'refugee' status which provides eligibility for homelessness services and social housing. These applicants are usually described as being 'lawfully present'.

Please refer to the table below which shows the number of homelessness presentations in Perth and Kinross from this cohort broken down by financial year.

The number of people currently on Perth and Kinross Council's Housing Waiting List

We have a Common Housing Register in Perth and Kinross which provides a single access pathway into social housing offered by us and three Housing Association partners. There are currently 3,563 applicants on the register (as at 21 August 2025).

Please find more information about asylum seekers in the Perth and Kinross Council area on our people seeking asylum page.