Asylum Hotels to Remain in Use Despite Government Pledge, Warns UK Borders Watchdog

Strategic Insights -

The use of asylum hotels in the UK will not be ended by the next election, according to David Bolt, the chief inspector of borders and immigration. Bolt made this statement after an inspection into the asylum decision-making process revealed a "significant increase" in the number of refusals, leading to a rise in appeals over the last year. The Home Office has pledged to axe the use of asylum hotels by the end of the Parliament in 2029, but Bolt's comments suggest this target may not be achievable.

Key Takeaways:

  • The number of asylum seekers in hotels in the UK has exceeded 32,000 as of March 2025.
  • David Bolt, the chief inspector of borders and immigration, has stated that the use of asylum hotels will not be ended by the next election.
  • The Home Office is seeking to disperse more migrants into joint partnership housing schemes with local authorities, develop "medium sized sites" utilizing former student accommodation, and renovate old tower blocks to place asylum seekers in private rented properties.
  • However, Bolt believes that there is a fundamental issue with housing stock, citing insufficient supply to deal with the numbers in the system.
  • The Home Office has received criticism for its handling of asylum decisions, with Bolt stating that there has been a "significant increase" in the number of refusals, leading to an increase in appeals.
  • The establishment of the Border Security Command has brought energy and focus to the issue, but Bolt believes more needs to be done to tackle the root causes of asylum seeking.
  • The availability of illegal working is identified as one of the main issues attracting people to come to the UK, with the Home Office working to close down this option.

Statistics:

  • There were over 32,000 asylum seekers in hotels in the UK as of March 2025 (Source).
  • The number of appeals has risen over the last year due to increased refusals (Source).
  • The Home Office has pledged to end the use of asylum hotels by the end of the Parliament in 2029 (Source).
  • The UK's asylum system has faced significant challenges in recent years, with the number of asylum seekers in hotels exceeding 30,000 in 2023 (Source).

Sources:

  • "David Bolt, chief inspector of borders and immigration, says UK asylum hotels will not close"
  • "Rachel Reeves pledges to abolish hotels for asylum seekers by 2029" (The Guardian)
  • "Inspection of Asylum Decision-Making" (Home Office)
  • "Asylum seeker numbers continue to rise amid hotel crisis" (The Telegraph)