Number of Asylum Hotels Drops to 185 Following 11 Closures
The Home Office has closed 11 hotels designated for asylum seekers, reducing the total count to 185 from a high of approximately 400. This shift follows a rise in the deportation of individuals without the right to remain in the UK, alongside the use of other accommodations like military barracks. Minister Alex Norris attributed the decline to these measures, stating that asylum hotels had caused “significant frustration” for local residents and contributed to a surge in illegal arrivals.
Government’s Reason for Closures
Norris emphasized that the closures aim to address the challenges of housing asylum seekers, noting that the government is now prioritizing alternatives to reduce reliance on hotels. He argued that these facilities had become a magnet for migrants, enticing them to cross the English Channel illegally. “Traffickers say ‘come to the UK, live in a hotel, work illegally,’ and we’re changing that reality,” Norris stated in a recent statement.
“We’re trying to reduce that pull factor,” Norris added, highlighting the government’s strategy to curb incentives for unauthorized entry.
Controversy and Cost Concerns
Despite the closures, the move has sparked debate. Critics, including opposition figures, accused the government of relocating asylum seekers to residential apartments to mask the scale of the crisis. “Shunting people from hotels into residential apartments hides what’s really happening,” said Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp, who also criticized Labour for not being firm enough on immigration policies.
The use of hotels for asylum accommodation has been contentious, with local councils and communities protesting over costs and the impact on residents. In 2024-2025, £2.1bn was spent on hotel housing, compared to £3bn the year prior. Over 103,000 individuals were in asylum accommodations, with 30,657 specifically in hotels. Two-thirds of asylum seekers are placed in dispersal sites, typically community houses, but hotels remain a key part of the system.
Labour’s Plan for the Future
The Labour government has pledged to phase out hotel use for asylum seekers by July 2029, claiming it would save nearly £65 million annually. Norris noted that the current number of people in hotels is expected to fall below 29,585, a level seen when Labour first took office. While the number of asylum seekers in hotels rose again after Labour came to power, it has since declined from its peak of over 56,000 under the Conservatives.
Although the government has vowed to cut small boat crossings, 100,625 arrivals were recorded in 2025, according to latest data. To address this, officials plan to expand “large, basic accommodation sites” as permanent alternatives to hotels. Up to 350 illegal migrants have already been moved to the Crowborough military barracks in East Sussex.
Political Reactions and Criticisms
Protests and criticism have followed the closures. Councillor Rachel Millward expressed concern that the Home Office had not adequately consulted local communities on the changes. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Max Wilkinson suggested that closing hotels merely shifts the issue, advocating instead for Nightingale processing centres to resolve the backlog.
“Closing asylum hotels is right for both communities and asylum seekers, but it doesn’t fix the problem; it just moves it elsewhere,” Wilkinson remarked.
Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf called the transition from hotels to other accommodations “shocking,” arguing that the government is failing to address the growing influx of migrants. “Thousands have invaded Britain this year, and more will follow unless Reform UK is in charge,” he warned. The Green Party has yet to respond to the developments.
