UK Moves Hundreds of Asylum Seekers from Hotels to Military Barracks

The UK Home Office has closed eleven hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers and relocated about 350 individuals to military barracks at the Crowborough military camp in East Sussex.

This action reduces the number of asylum hotels from a peak of around 400 to 185 across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

The relocated asylum seekers are now housed in basic accommodation at the military camp, according to Home Office officials.

The closures follow a political pledge by Labour leader Keir Starmer to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers before the next general election.

The move comes amid ongoing political debate over the suitability and cost of hotel accommodation for asylum seekers, with some groups criticizing the use of military sites as unsuitable and more expensive.

The use of hotels for asylum seekers increased significantly in 2020 due to a backlog in processing claims and a shortage of long-term housing options.

At its peak in 2023, over 56,000 people were housed in hotels, but current figures indicate around 30,000 remain in such accommodation.

Home Office Minister Alex Norris said the reduction in hotel use is partly due to increased removals of individuals without the right to remain in the UK and the provision of alternative housing options such as military barracks.

He also noted that hotels had been a source of frustration for local communities and acted as a pull factor encouraging illegal migration.

The government plans further closures of asylum hotels in the coming weeks, aiming to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation by July 2029.

It remains unclear how the transition will affect the overall housing capacity for asylum seekers and the long-term plans for alternative accommodation.

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