Sanctuary Wales

2 February 2022

Dear , 

ATISN 15921 - Sanctuary Wales 

Thank you for your request which I received on 5 January.  You asked:

• What the Sanctuary Wales policy has costed so far and or your current estimated cost for policing making decisions? 

• How many homes have been given to people under the Sanctuary Wales policy? 

Our response

I have provided a response to each request below; 

• What the Sanctuary Wales policy has costed so far and or your current estimated cost for policing making decisions? 

In reference to the costs associated with the Sanctuary policy, I have attached the information at Annex A of this letter. 

On 7 January 2022, I sent a letter to you (via your email address above) requesting further clarification on the current estimated cost for policing making decisions. To date, I have not received a response to this letter so we have had to interpret your request by providing the information in Annex A. 

• How many homes have been given to people under the Sanctuary Wales policy? 

The Sanctuary Wales policy (that is, the Nation of Sanctuary Plan) does not include direct access to accommodation. The plan seeks to ensure the accommodation provided to asylum seekers by the UK Government is of a good quality and prevent homelessness of newly granted refugees, or those undertaking asylum appeal processes. Welsh Government does not hold information about the total number of refugees living in Wales. 

Next steps

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response. Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at: 

Information Rights Unit
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ 

or Email: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.    

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely

Annex  A

* This Project is funded through the EU Asylum Migration Integration Fund.