Concerning levels of legionella bacteria have been detected in up to 15 hotels housing asylum seekers over the past three years, according to a freedom of information (FOI) request. The bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires' disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia, was found at levels above 100 colony-forming units (CFU) per litre, considered a health risk by experts.
The FOI response, covering 2022, 2023, and 2024, indicated that between one and five hotels each year had levels exceeding the threshold. The Home Office did not disclose the locations but confirmed the sites are operated by contractors Mears, Serco, and Clear Springs Ready Homes. Some affected areas were reportedly unoccupied, though further details were not provided.
Adam Midson, legionella and fire manager at Acorn Safety Services, warned that untreated legionella can spread rapidly, causing "massive problems." He noted that while the bacteria is common in water supplies, levels above 100 CFU require immediate action. The Refugee Council described the findings as "deeply worrying" and a reminder of the unsuitability of housing asylum seekers in hotels.
This is not the first such incident; the Bibby Stockholm barge, used to house asylum seekers, was temporarily evacuated last year due to legionella. The revelations come as net migration figures hit a record 906,000 in the year to June 2023, and over 29,000 asylum seekers currently live in hotels across the UK. Home Office spending on asylum reached £5.38bn in 2023/24, the highest since records began.
Asli Tatliadim, head of campaigns at Refugee Action, said asylum seekers' lives are being "put at risk in dangerous and segregated properties," calling for better housing solutions. The Home Office has not commented on whether any asylum seekers became ill from the bacteria.
