UK Councils Seek Legal Limits on Asylum Hotels After High Court Rulings

Following a High Court ruling that asylum seekers must be removed from The Bell Hotel in Epping by September 12, several UK councils are evaluating the implications for their own use of hotels to house asylum seekers. South Ribble Borough Council is considering legal action to prevent asylum accommodation at the Leyland Hotel, which has been housing asylum seekers for over three years. Falkirk Council and other Scottish councils are reviewing the ruling's impact but have not committed to legal action, with Scotland housing around 1,352 asylum seekers in hotels as of March 2025. Reform UK-controlled councils, including Staffordshire and West Northamptonshire, are actively exploring options to follow the Epping ruling, citing concerns over the suitability of hotels as long-term accommodation and the strain on local services. The Home Office warned the ruling would substantially impact its ability to house asylum seekers in hotels nationwide, though the government pledges to close all asylum hotels by the end of the current Parliament, continuing to work with communities to address concerns. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has committed all 12 councils controlled by his party to pursue similar legal actions, emphasizing local impacts of national border policies.