UK Asylum Hotels Decline to 185 as 11 Sites Close

Home Office Minister Alex Norris stated that the decrease from a peak of around 400 hotels is due to increased removals of people with no right to stay in the UK and housing others in alternative sites. These alternative sites include military barracks, such as Crowborough military barracks in East Sussex, which now houses up to 350 migrants. Norris noted that asylum hotels had been a "point of significant frustration" for local communities and acted as a "pull factor" for illegal immigration.

The use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers dramatically increased in 2020, driven by a backlog in processing asylum claims and a lack of long-term housing. This practice has proved controversial, triggering protests and legal challenges, alongside concerns over the substantial cost. In 2024-2025, £2.1 billion was spent on hotels, down from £3 billion the previous year. The government projects that ending accommodation in the 11 recently closed hotels will save nearly £65 million annually, with more closures expected in the coming weeks.