The Home Office has announced the closure of eleven hotels used to house asylum seekers across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with more closures expected in the coming weeks. Around 350 claimants have been relocated to Crowborough military camp in East Sussex, described by a spokesperson as 'basic accommodation'. The move follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer's pledge to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers before the next general election.
The number of hotels still in use has fallen to 185, down from a peak of 400 under the previous government. Approximately 30,000 people remain in hotels, while over 70,000 live in other accommodation such as shared housing or military barracks. Asylum seekers are prohibited from working during their first year in the UK while their claims are processed, leaving them dependent on government-provided housing.
Immigration Minister Alex Norris stated: 'Hotels were meant to be a short-term stopgap under the previous government, but they spiralled out of control – costing taxpayers billions and dumping the consequences on local communities. We are shutting them down by moving people into more basic accommodation, scaling up large sites, removing record numbers of people with no right to remain.' The Home Office says the latest closures will save £65 million.
However, the Refugee Council criticised the decision, with director of external affairs Imran Hussain arguing that military sites are unsuitable. 'The government's own spending watchdog previously found that they are more expensive than hotels, and they isolate people from local communities and essential services,' he said. He suggested granting temporary permission to stay for people from countries like Sudan and Iran could empty hotels within months.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp claimed there are more asylum seekers in hotels now than at the time of the election, accusing the government of 'shunting people from hotels into residential apartments to hide what is going on', which he said reduces housing availability for young people. Protests outside asylum hotels have become tense, with some turning violent, including an incident in Rotherham in August 2024 where protesters attempted to set a hotel on fire.
