THE government has been forced to admit its policy of dispersing asylum seekers across Britain has backfired, causing social problems that threaten to become “critical”, leaked Whitehall documents reveal.

An official analysis of the effect of asylum seekers and other migrant workers moving to Peterborough tells of rising lawlessness, chronic health problems, disruption to schools and resentment from local residents.

The leaked documents, prepared by the Home Office with the help of the local council, police, health and education authorities, say public services “are no longer able to cope”.

Peterborough was one of the main areas selected by the Home Office in 2000 for asylum seekers moving from London. The Home Office says about 400 asylum seekers were transferred to the city, although the council says there are more than 800 refugees and more than 4,000 migrant workers.

The document says the influx has brought “a dramatic change in the atmosphere/tensions in the culture of the city that will threaten the harmony and racial accord in the city if action is not taken . . . and an indigenous population beginning to resent a much-needed influx of people and skills”.

The memo says the community is increasingly “disillusioned” and reveals there has been a 10-fold increase in migrants to the city since 2000. It warns: “This situation (the number of new arrivals) has created a situation within the area in danger of becoming critical.”

The Treasury has agreed to a multi-million-pound grant to ease the crisis by building a new asylum support centre. However, councillors believe the money, amounting to £700,000 a year, will do little to help.

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