UK Records 111,000 Asylum Claims Amid 32,000 Hotel Accommodations

The UK is facing a record surge in asylum claims, with over 111,000 applications in the past year, marking a 14% increase and the highest level since records began in 1979. Currently, around 32,000 asylum seekers are housed in approximately 210 hotels, a decrease from the peak of 56,000, yet still a significant number that has drawn criticism from local councils and advocacy groups. The government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour administration, has pledged to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation by 2029 but is struggling due to legal challenges, local opposition, and a backlog in processing asylum claims. The backlog, which ballooned after the Home Office dropped processing targets in 2018 and was exacerbated by rising arrivals via small boats, has contributed to soaring costs—estimated at £5.4 billion annually—with a large share spent on expensive hotel accommodation. While the government claims progress in reducing the backlog and increasing removals, opposition parties and refugee organizations argue that the system remains broken and that housing asylum seekers in hotels is inadequate and costly. Legal injunctions, such as the recent High Court order against a hotel in Epping, signal ongoing tensions and obstacles in managing asylum accommodation across the UK.