See answers to previous information requests

Please treat the following as a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I am requesting the following data for the last five (5) years to date of this request, broken down by year where applicable:

1. Social Housing & Irregular Migrants / Asylum Seekers
a) The number of social housing properties used to house irregular migrants in the area.
Zero (illegal migrants are not eligible for social housing).

b) The number of social housing properties used to house asylum seekers.
Unable to provide this data for as this would exceed 18 hours; the only way in which we can confirm the number of asylum seekers who have been housed in this time period would be to check the housing register application for every applicant that have been allocated a social housing property, our system does not produce historical reports. We nominate housing to approximately 350 applicants each year and it would take 10 minutes per applicant to check each application and to check whether the applicant was an asylum seeker or not which equates to 58.3 hours for each year.

2. Private Rented Housing & Irregular Migrants / Asylum Seekers
a) The number of irregular migrants housed in private rented accommodation in the local authority area.
We do not hold this information.

b) The number of asylum seekers housed in private rented accommodation in the local authority area.
We do not hold this information.

3. Evictions Related to Serco Housing Contracts
a) The number of residents reported to the council as being evicted due to landlords transferring properties to Serco, broken down by the nationality of those evicted.
Zero.

b) Regardless of who reported the case, the total number of people who approached the council regarding eviction where the property was later transferred to Serco.
Zero.

4. Social Housing Stock
a) The total number of social housing properties in the area.
Wokingham Borough Council currently have a property stock of 2557.

b) The number of social housing properties currently empty.
We can confirm that as of 26/08/2025, there are currently 46 HRA properties that are void (i.e. untenanted).

5. Housing Need & Homelessness
a) The total number of people currently seeking housing assistance from the council.
322.

b) Of that total, how many are:
i. Facing eviction: 86
ii. Currently homeless: 142

6. Council Expenditure on Asylum Seekers & Refugees
a) Total amount of council funds (excluding central government grants) spent on housing and maintaining asylum seekers and refugees in the district. Please break this down into:
i. Housing costs.
ii. Maintenance costs.
b) Total value of other benefits or items funded by the council for asylum seekers and refugees (e.g., food, TV licensing, activities).
£0. Any expenditure is funded from government grants.

7. Reimbursement from Central Government
a) The total amount reimbursed to the council by central government for housing and supporting asylum seekers and refugees in the district.
Not applicable.