UK leases barge to accommodate 500 asylum seekers

The UK on Wednesday announced it had leased a barge that will house around 500 asylum seekers on the south coast of England as it seeks to cut hotel costs for migrants arriving on its shores.

"The Home Office has announced that an accommodation barge in Portland Port, Dorset will be used to reduce the unsustainable pressure on the UK's asylum system and cut the cost to the taxpayer caused by the significant increase in Channel crossings," the ministry said.