Number of asylum hotels falls to 185 after 11 close
Asylum Hotel Numbers Drop to 185 After 11 Closures
The UK government has shut down 11 hotels previously used to house asylum seekers, reducing the total number to 185 from a high of approximately 400. Home Office Minister Alex Norris attributed the decline to greater removals of individuals without the right to remain in the country and the use of other facilities, such as military barracks, for accommodation.
Government Rationale
Norris stated that asylum hotels had become a source of frustration for local communities and had even acted as a magnet for illegal migration. The government aims to curb this trend by relocating asylum seekers to alternative housing. The Conservatives argued that the closure of hotels was part of a broader strategy to shift individuals into residential apartments, though critics claim this move masks ongoing challenges.
Cost and Impact
The use of hotels for asylum seekers has been costly, with £2.1bn spent in 2024-2025 compared to £3bn the prior year. This equates to roughly £8.3 million daily. In December, 103,426 people were in asylum accommodation, of which 30,657 were in hotels. Two-thirds of the population were in “dispersal accommodation,” typically community-based housing. Norris predicted the hotel population would drop below 29,585, the level during Labour’s previous tenure.
Political Responses
“We’re changing that reality, we’re trying to reduce that pull factor.”
Labour has pledged to eliminate hotel use for asylum seekers by July 2029, aiming to save nearly £65 million annually. The party also plans further closures in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Conservative critics, including Chris Philp, accused the government of “shunting people from hotels into residential apartments to hide what is going on.” They argued this approach limits housing availability for young people facing affordability issues.
Local protests and legal challenges have emerged due to concerns over costs and community disruption. Councillor Rachel Millward highlighted the lack of community engagement in the plans. Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf criticized the shift as a “shock” to taxpayers, while the Liberal Democrats suggested using Nightingale processing centers to slash the backlog and reduce reliance on hotels.
Despite the closures, small boat crossings remain high, with 100,625 arrivals recorded in 2025. The government plans to expand “large, basic accommodation sites” to permanently move people out of hotels. Up to 350 illegal migrants have been relocated to the Crowborough military barracks in East Sussex. The Green Party has yet to comment on the policy.
