Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will end support for thousands of destitute asylum seekers and begin hotel evictions this Spring. The move marks a major escalation in Labour's immigration crackdown, with further hotel closures expected by April as the government attempts to cut the asylum bill and demonstrate progress on border control.
The policy targets three categories of asylum seekers: those who could support themselves financially but choose not to, those with a right to work who break the law or work illegally, and those who refuse orders to leave the UK. The government currently provides accommodation or payments to 111,651 people, with approximately 36,000 asylum seekers housed in hotels at the end of September.
A Labour source said: «The Home Secretary is a woman in a hurry. She is working tirelessly to introduce these reforms to restore order and control to our borders.»
The hotel closures are part of sweeping immigration reforms Mahmood announced at the end of last year. The government pledged to end the use of costly asylum hotels by 2029, replacing them with alternative accommodations including army barracks, pop-up buildings, and homes of multiple occupation.
Pressure on the system
The number of people in migrant hotels peaked at 56,018 at the end of September 2023 under the Conservatives. By the end of June 2024, this had fallen to 29,561. Fewer than 200 hotels are currently in use for asylum seekers.
Small boat crossings remain a significant challenge. Last year saw 41,472 people cross the Channel, the second-highest annual total on record after 45,774 in 2022. So far in 2026, 32 people have arrived in a single boat on January 5.
MPs warned last year about billions of pounds squandered on asylum hotel contracts. The influential Home Affairs Committee criticized inadequate accountability and oversight of these large accommodation contracts.
Returns and removals
The Home Office is expanding its "one in, one out" returns deal with France and hopes to establish a similar agreement with Germany. The government also plans to increase removals from the UK, with Syrian asylum seekers potentially facing return to their home country after officials deemed Syria safer following the fall of the Assad regime at the end of 2024.
Migrant hotels became flashpoints of protest last summer, notably following a sexual assault incident in Epping, Essex, where an asylum seeker allegedly assaulted a 14-year-old girl. Epping council's subsequent legal challenge to close the hotel was unsuccessful, with the Home Office arguing it would «face considerable difficulties in re-accommodating them appropriately».
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
