Number of asylum seekers housed in hotels halves and small boat crossings slashed
The number of asylum seekers accommodated in Home Office hotels fell by half over the year to June, while small-boat crossings to the UK declined by 23 per cent. The figures matter because the Government is seeking to reduce reliance on controversial hotel accommodation, instead moving people to larger sites and shared housing.
Around 16,000 asylum seekers were living in hotels in June, with fewer than 160 hotels in use compared with nearly 400 at the previous peak. Some 93,000 people were receiving asylum support overall, 12 per cent fewer than a year earlier; work, study and family visas also fell year on year to 235,000, 383,000 and 58,000 respectively.
- Asylum seekers in hotels fell 50 per cent to 16,000.
- Small-boat crossings declined 23 per cent year on year.
- Government is replacing hotels with larger sites and shared homes.
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People who claim asylum in the UK ask the Government for protection because they fear persecution or serious harm if returned to their country. While their claims are considered, the Home Office may provide accommodation and basic support to those who cannot support themselves.
Hotels have been used as temporary accommodation when other places were unavailable, but they are costly and have drawn local and political criticism. The Home Office has also housed people in larger sites and shared housing, while asylum decisions determine whether applicants can stay as refugees or must leave the UK.
Small boats are one route used by people crossing the Channel, alongside other ways of arriving in the country. Asylum claims and immigration visas are separate parts of the system: visas allow people to come for purposes such as work, study or joining family, while asylum support applies to people awaiting decisions on protection claims.
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The case for
Supporters argue that halving hotel use and reducing small-boat crossings show progress towards a more controlled, sustainable asylum system. They contend that moving away from expensive emergency hotels can ease pressure on local communities and taxpayers, while larger sites and shared housing may provide more predictable accommodation as claims are processed. Lower visa numbers are also presented as evidence that the Government is responding to public concern about overall migration levels while retaining lawful routes.
The case against
Critics argue that lower hotel numbers alone do not establish a fairer or more effective asylum system, particularly if people are transferred to large sites with poorer conditions or less local support. They caution that changes in crossings can reflect weather, enforcement patterns and routes rather than durable policy success, and that reducing visa numbers may harm employers, universities and families. In their view, the central test should be timely, humane decisions and safe legal routes, rather than headline reductions in accommodation or arrival figures.