News

Number of asylum hotels falls to 185 after 11 close

Barbara Williams April 14, 2026

Table of Contents

Asylum Hotel Numbers Drop to 185 After 11 Sites Close

Eleven accommodation sites designated for asylum seekers, including hotels, have been removed from the program, reducing the total count to 185. This marks a decline from a high of approximately 400 sites during the peak of the initiative. Home Office Minister Alex Norris attributed the reduction to the government’s focus on expediting the removal of individuals without a right to remain in the UK and redirecting others to alternative accommodations such as military barracks.

Addressing Community Concerns

Norris emphasized that the shift aims to alleviate the strain on local communities, which had expressed frustration over the presence of asylum seeker housing. He also highlighted that the move is intended to weaken the “pull factor” encouraging illegal entry into the country, as traffickers had previously lured applicants with the promise of temporary hotel stays and the chance to work.

“We know the traffickers say ‘come to the UK, live in a hotel, work illegally,’ “We’re changing that reality, we’re trying to reduce that pull factor.”

Political Criticism and Context

Conservative critics accused the government of transferring asylum seekers to residential apartments to obscure the scale of the issue. They argued this approach creates a hidden burden on housing resources, particularly for young people facing difficulties securing homes. The use of hotels surged in 2020 due to processing delays and a shortage of long-term housing, sparking local protests and legal disputes over costs and conditions.

Asylum seekers are typically not permitted to work during their initial 12-month period, so the Home Office must provide housing if they cannot afford it. In 2024-2025, £2.1bn was allocated for hotel accommodations, compared to £3bn in the prior year, or roughly £8.3m per day. The latest data from December shows 103,426 people in asylum accommodations, with 30,657 currently in hotels. Two-thirds of these are in community-based “dispersal accommodation,” such as homes.

Labour’s Plan and Savings

The Labour government has pledged to eliminate hotel-based asylum housing by July 2029. They claim the closure of these 11 sites would save nearly £65m annually, with more closures to be announced soon. Norris noted that the number of people in hotels has already dropped below the 29,585 level recorded when Labour took office, though the figure peaked at over 56,000 under the Conservatives.

Despite this reduction, the government aims to transition asylum seekers to “large, basic accommodation sites” to ensure permanent relocation from hotels. Over 350 illegal migrants have been moved to the Crowborough military barracks in East Sussex. However, some council officials have raised concerns, with Rachel Millward of the BBC stating the Home Office had not adequately communicated its plans to local communities.

Party Perspectives

Political responses varied. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Max Wilkinson praised the closure but noted it merely shifts the problem, not solves it. He suggested using Nightingale processing centres to eliminate the backlog and reduce reliance on hotels. Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf criticized the move as a “shock” to taxpayers, arguing the government is merely transferring migrants between funded spaces. He added that thousands of illegal arrivals continue to enter the UK, highlighting the need for stricter measures.

The Green Party has yet to respond to the developments. The government’s strategy to cut small boat crossings by targeting trafficking gangs, announced after its July 2024 election, has not yet achieved the desired results, with 100,625 individuals arriving in 2025. Meanwhile, Norris stressed the importance of ending hotel accommodations to create a more sustainable solution for housing asylum seekers.