Number of asylum hotels falls to 185 after 11 close
Number of Asylum Hotels Drops to 185 After 11 Closures
The Home Office has announced the closure of 11 asylum seeker accommodation sites, reducing the total count to 185. This marks a significant shift from a peak of approximately 400 hotels used for this purpose in earlier years.
Home Office Minister Alex Norris cited increased deportations of individuals without legal status in the UK as a key reason for the decline. He also noted that alternative housing options, such as military barracks, have been utilized to accommodate asylum seekers. Norris emphasized that the use of hotels had become a source of frustration for local communities and a motivator for people to enter the country illegally.
Political Reactions to the Closures
Conservative critics accused the government of relocating asylum seekers to residential apartments to obscure ongoing challenges. Councillor Rachel Millward highlighted the lack of community consultation, stating the Home Office had not adequately explained its plans. Chris Philp, the Conservative shadow home secretary, argued that the policy would allow faster deportation under the European Convention on Human Rights, though he criticized Labour for not pursuing this approach.
Labour has pledged to phase out hotel use by July 2029, aiming to cut annual costs by nearly £65 million. The party claims the closures will help reduce reliance on hotels, which have been a contentious part of the asylum system. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats supported the move but stressed that it only shifts the issue rather than solving it. They advocate for using Nightingale processing centres to address the backlog.
Costs and Current Numbers
Asylum seeker accommodation cost £2.1 billion in the 2024-2025 financial year, compared to £3 billion the previous year. According to December figures, 103,426 people were in asylum housing, with 30,657 staying in hotels. Most asylum seekers are housed in dispersal accommodation—typically community-based homes—while hotels have been a temporary solution amid processing delays.
Norris claimed the closures would curb the number of people attempting to reach the UK via the English Channel. “Traffickers tell migrants, ‘come to the UK, live in a hotel, and work illegally,’ ” he said. “By ending hotel accommodation, we’re breaking that cycle and reducing the incentive to cross illegally.” However, the government admitted that small boat arrivals remained high, with 100,625 people arriving in 2025 despite promises to cut crossings.
Reform UK criticized the policy as a mere transfer of costs, arguing it fails to address the root of the problem. Zia Yusuf, the party’s home affairs spokesman, accused the government of shifting responsibility without meaningful action. The Green Party has yet to comment on the decision.
