Number of asylum hotels falls to 185 after 11 close
Number of Asylum Hotels Drops to 185 Following 11 Closures
The Home Office has closed 11 hotels used for housing asylum seekers, decreasing the total number to 185 from a previous high of about 400. This reduction reflects efforts to move individuals to other accommodations, including military barracks, as part of a strategy to manage migration flows.
Minister Alex Norris stated the decline stems from heightened removals of those without the right to stay in the UK and the use of alternative sites. He described asylum hotels as a source of community frustration and a motivator for illegal arrivals.
Conservative critics argue the government is shifting asylum seekers from hotels to residential apartments to obscure the situation. “This move hides what is happening,” said shadow home secretary Chris Philp, adding that such apartments are now less accessible to young people facing housing challenges.
Asylum seekers typically cannot work during their first 12 months in the UK while their claims are processed. When they lack private housing, the Home Office is obligated to provide temporary lodging. The shift to hotels surged in 2020 due to processing backlogs and limited long-term housing options, sparking local protests and legal disputes.
Financial data reveals the cost of asylum hotels has dropped from £3bn in 2023-2024 to £2.1bn in 2024-2025, averaging around £8.3m per day. According to December figures, 103,426 people were in asylum accommodation, with 30,657 occupying hotels. Two-thirds of those housed are in community-based “dispersal accommodation.”
Next official data is expected in May, but Norris anticipates the hotel population will fall below 29,585—the level recorded when Labour took office. The number peaked at over 56,000 under the Conservatives in 2023, before rising again and then declining.
Labour has pledged to phase out hotel use by July 2029, claiming the closures will save nearly £65m annually. Additional sites will be announced soon. Norris emphasized the goal of reducing the appeal of the UK for illegal entry, countering traffickers’ claims that hotels encourage such journeys.
Politicians from multiple parties have voiced concerns. Councillor Rachel Millward criticized the lack of community consultation, while Liberal Democrat spokesperson Max Wilkinson argued the closures merely relocate the issue. Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf accused the government of moving migrants between taxpayer-funded accommodations without addressing the root cause.
Some 350 illegal migrants have been relocated to Crowborough military barracks in East Sussex. The Green Party has been invited for a response, as the government continues to refine its approach to asylum housing. Subscribe to the Politics Essential newsletter for updates on Westminster developments.
