The number of hotels designated for housing asylum seekers in the UK has decreased to 185, following the closure of 11 facilities. This reduction marks a significant decline from a peak of approximately 400 hotels.
Home Office Minister Alex Norris attributed this decrease to an uptick in the removal of individuals without the right to remain in the UK, as well as the relocation of asylum seekers to alternative accommodations, including military barracks. Norris noted that the presence of asylum hotels had become a „point of significant frustration“ for local communities and had acted as a pull factor, enticing individuals to enter the UK illegally.
The Conservative Party criticized the government’s approach, claiming it was merely shifting asylum seekers from hotels to residential apartments to obscure the ongoing situation.
Asylum Seekers and Accommodation Regulations
Asylum seekers typically cannot work during the first 12 months while awaiting the processing of their claims. If they are unable to secure their own housing, the Home Office is legally obligated to provide accommodation for them.
The use of hotels for asylum seekers surged dramatically in 2020, largely due to a backlog in processing claims and a shortage of long-term housing options. This practice has sparked controversy, leading to protests in various communities and legal challenges from local councils, alongside concerns regarding the financial implications.
In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the government allocated £2.1 billion for hotel accommodations, a decrease from £3 billion the previous year, equating to approximately £8.3 million per day.
Current Asylum Accommodation Statistics
As of December, there were 103,426 individuals residing in asylum accommodations, with 30,657 of them housed in hotels. The majority, around two-thirds, are placed in „dispersal accommodation,“ which typically consists of houses within communities.
Norris anticipates that the number of individuals residing in hotels will fall below the 29,585 figure recorded when Labour assumed power. The peak number of asylum seekers in hotels reached over 56,000 in 2023 under the Conservative government. Although the numbers began to rise again after Labour took office, they have since declined.
The Labour government has committed to eliminating the use of hotels for asylum seekers by July 2029. It estimates that closing the 11 hotels will save nearly £65 million annually, with additional closures expected to be announced shortly.
List of Closed Hotels
The following hotels have ceased to accommodate asylum seekers:
- Banbury House Hotel – Banbury, Oxfordshire
- Marine Court Hotel – Bangor, Ards and North Down
- 15 Citrus Hotel – Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
- Holiday Inn Heathrow – Hillingdon, London
- Britannia Hotel – Wolverhampton
- Madeley Court Hotel – Madeley, Telford & Wrekin
- OYO Lakeside – St Helens, Merseyside
- Crewe Arms Hotel – Crewe, Cheshire East
- Sure Hotel by Best Western – Aberdeen
- The Rock Hotel – Halifax, Calderdale
- Wool Merchant Hotel – Halifax, Calderdale
In announcing the closures, Norris stated that ending hotel accommodations would help reduce the number of individuals attempting to reach the UK via dangerous crossings of the English Channel. He remarked, „We know the traffickers say ‚come to the UK, live in a hotel, work illegally.‘ We’re changing that reality; we’re trying to reduce that pull factor.“
Government’s Strategy and Challenges
Following its election in July 2024, the government pledged to diminish small boat crossings by dismantling trafficking operations. However, the number of arrivals has remained high, with 100,625 individuals reported to have arrived in 2025.
An asylum seeker is defined as an individual seeking refuge in the UK due to fears of persecution or violence in their home country. The government is required to provide housing for asylum seekers who cannot financially support themselves while their claims are under review. As of December 2025, there were 103,426 individuals in asylum accommodations, with approximately 30% residing in hotels.
These hotels are utilized when there is insufficient shared housing available, such as houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) or former military sites. The government has committed to ending the use of hotels by 2029.
Asylum Application Trends
From January 2025 to December 2025, a total of 100,625 individuals applied for asylum in the UK, reflecting a 4% decrease compared to the same timeframe the previous year. While most individuals arriving by small boat claim asylum, they represented only 41% of all asylum seekers during this period. The remainder includes individuals who entered the UK through other illegal means or those who arrived legally and subsequently applied for asylum.
Backlog of Asylum Applications
The process for determining asylum claims can extend over several years. As of December 2025, there were 64,426 individuals awaiting an initial decision on 48,723 asylum applications, marking a 48% decrease from the previous year. Additionally, 80,333 refused asylum applications were part of a secondary backlog, pending appeal outcomes in the courts, which represents a 91% increase from the prior year.
These initial and appeal cases collectively contribute to the government’s total backlog of asylum applications, which it has pledged to address. Approximately 42% of asylum decisions made by the Home Office from January 2025 to December 2025 resulted in granted refugee status, while about 39% of appeal cases concluded during the same period overturned previous refusals.
Future Plans and Political Reactions
The government has indicated plans to enhance the use of „large, basic accommodation sites“ to transition individuals out of hotels permanently. The Home Office reported that up to 350 illegal migrants have been relocated to the Crowborough military barracks in East Sussex. Local protests have arisen, with some politicians expressing concerns that the Home Office has not adequately engaged with the community or provided comprehensive details regarding these plans.
Individuals entering the UK without permission are classified as illegal migrants; however, they retain the right to seek asylum upon arrival.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticized the government’s approach, stating that it was merely relocating individuals from hotels to residential apartments, thereby limiting housing availability for young people striving to enter the housing market. He asserted, „The Conservative plan is to leave the ECHR [European Convention on Human Rights] so that illegal immigrants are deported within a week of arrival—not put up in hotels or apartments. But Labour is too weak to do that.“
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Max Wilkinson remarked that while closing asylum hotels is beneficial for both communities and asylum seekers, it does not resolve the underlying issues, merely relocating them. He proposed utilizing Nightingale processing centers to address the backlog.
Reform UK home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf expressed outrage at the government’s actions, stating, „It is absolutely shocking that the government is boasting about moving illegal migrants from one form of taxpayer-funded accommodation to another. Thousands have already invaded Britain this year, and more will follow unless Reform UK is in government. We would detain and deport every illegal migrant.“
The Green Party has been approached for a response regarding these developments.
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