The number of hotels accommodating asylum seekers in the UK has decreased, with the Home Office announcing the closure of 11 such establishments this week. This move signals a broader effort to phase out the use of hotels for housing individuals awaiting asylum decisions, a practice that has drawn considerable public scrutiny and protests.
The government states that approximately 200 hotels are currently in use, providing shelter for around 30,000 asylum seekers. An additional 70,000 individuals are housed in alternative accommodations, including shared housing and former military sites. This reduction in hotel usage is partly attributed by the Home Office to the implementation of AI tools designed to expedite case processing.
Policy Overhaul and Public Response
The Home Office intends to transition asylum seekers into more basic accommodation, such as ex-military sites. This shift follows a period of controversy surrounding the perceived "luxury" of hotel living, a narrative often amplified by anti-migrant protests outside some establishments. The use of hotels for asylum seeker accommodation became widespread during the Covid-19 pandemic and has since remained a contentious issue.
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"The number of people crossing the Channel is too high, and too many hotels remain in use."
The government has also indicated plans to alter the legal framework surrounding asylum seeker support. Starting in June, asylum seekers who commit criminal offenses or engage in unauthorized employment may face eviction and the withdrawal of financial support. This policy change is part of a wider strategy to "strengthen the UK's asylum system."
Funding and Previous Trends
The funding of asylum accommodation has itself been a point of contention, with a portion of the UK’s overseas aid budget reportedly used to cover these costs. While the government has not consistently published figures on the exact number of hotels in use, reports suggest a previous reliance on around 400 such establishments, with a decrease occurring under the former administration.
Previous data indicates fluctuations in hotel occupancy. For instance, by the end of December 2025, there were 30,657 people in hotels, a figure that had been trending downwards. However, some periods have seen increases, such as a 13% rise in hotel occupancy over a three-month period ending in September 2025, coinciding with a record number of asylum applications.
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The broader context involves a significant number of arrivals via small boats, with 545 migrants arriving on a single day earlier this year, representing the busiest day for such crossings thus far.
