This webpage will continue to be updated with further details of how the funding the council receives has been spent. The next update is scheduled for mid-June 2026.
The Home Office have confirmed that Wealden District Council, on behalf of Local authorities responsible for the camp, will receive funding to support the Asylum Seekers at the camp. As of May 2026, the council has not yet received any funding but when it does (expected by the end of June), under the terms of the funding by the Home Office, it can only be used to support Asylum Seekers resident at the camp. We are in early discussions with a range of organisations as to how this funding should be spent over the coming months.
How much funding will the council receive?
The council expects to receive an initial payment from the Home Office at a value of £1,200 for every asylum seeker that was accommodated at Crowborough Army Camp on 30 March 2026. The Home Office have confirmed 264 asylum seekers were accommodated at the camp on this date.
Therefore, the council expects to receive £316,800.
This initial payment is being made in arrears and is due to the council any day now.
Moving forward, the council will only receive from the Home Office a monthly payment at a value of £100 per asylum seeker accommodated at Crowborough Army Camp at the end of that month. As the camp opened for occupation in January, the first of these payments will be for January, February & March 2026 (quarter 4) and is expected to be received by the council on 30 June 2026.
This payment is expected to be £43,400. (January occupation 53 x £100 = £5,300 plus, February occupation 117 x £100 = £11,700 plus, March occupation 264 x £100 = £26,400).
Future payments will continue to be made in arrears, for example payment for April, May & June (quarter 1) will be paid by September. This quarterly payment schedule will then continue.
Terms of the funding
The following funding instruction sets out the rules under which funding is provided to local authorities and what the funding is allowed to be spent on.