Asylum seeker hotels span Labour and Conservative councils nationwide

A claim spreading online—that most areas with asylum seeker hotels have Labour councils—doesn’t match the facts. As of August 21, 2025, both Labour– and Conservative-run councils host asylum seeker hotels, and both are now moving to challenge their use. The picture is mixed and highly political, with legal risks mounting for the Home Office after a High Court ruling last week.

The latest figures show 32,059 asylum seekers in hotels as of June 2025, up from 29,585 a year earlier but slightly down from 32,345 in March 2025. That’s well below the September 2023 peak of 56,042. Spending on asylum accommodation fell to £4.76 billion in 2024/25, a 12% drop from the previous year. Yet pressure on local services remains high wherever hotels are used, and many councils say they were not properly consulted before placements began.

High Court ruling and council responses

On August 19, 2025, the High Court backed Epping Forest District Council (Conservative-led) and ordered the removal of asylum seekers from the Bell Hotel in Essex. That decision set off a wave of interest from councils across England and Wales.

• Nearly 30 councils are now weighing legal action or watching the case closely.
• This group includes eight Labour-run councils as well as a number of Conservative and Reform UK authorities.
• Reform UK says all 12 of its councils are considering action (though three do not currently have hotels in use).
• Senior Conservatives, including Kemi Badenoch, are urging councils to follow Epping’s lead.
• Labour councils are also exploring court options, arguing that the system expanded under the previous government and still lacks proper local engagement.

There’s no up-to-date public master list showing party control of every council area with asylum seeker hotels. Current reporting confirms that both Labour and Conservative areas host hotels, and both are now challenging them. As VisaVerge.com reports, claims that “most areas with asylum seeker hotels have Labour councils” overlook this shared footprint and the cross-party legal push.

Legal routes councils are using

The Epping decision is an interim injunction, with a full hearing expected in the autumn. Councils looking to copy the approach are turning to two main routes:

• Injunctions under planning powers
• Applications for judicial review, often on grounds of lack of consultation or unlawful change of land use

Conservative officials are openly encouraging this strategy; Labour leaders say they are acting to protect local services while pressing the Home Office for clearer plans.

Typical practical steps taken by councils:
1. Apply for an injunction to seek urgent relief.
2. Lodge a judicial review claim at the same time, if necessary.

Standard forms used in practice:
– Judicial review claim form N461: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-n461-claim-form-for-judicial-review
– Interim applications Form N244 Application notice: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-n244-application-notice

The legal risk for the Home Office is straightforward: if more courts follow Epping, the department may have to move people out of hotels on tight timetables, forcing emergency placements elsewhere and disrupting access to schools, doctors, and community support.

Local reaction remains tense. Protests and counter-protests have taken place in both Labour and Conservative areas. Council leaders cite stretched GP services, school capacity issues, and community safety concerns. Advocates for asylum seekers argue that hotel use traps people in limbo for months, worsening mental health and separating families from normal community life.

Capacity, costs, and alternatives to hotels

The Labour government has promised to end hotel use by the end of this Parliament, but that target is under strain.

Key data and trends:
– Number of people in hotels has risen by about 8% compared with the same point last year.
– The Home Office has tried alternative sites such as the Bibby Stockholm barge (ended in November 2024) and converted former student housing.
– The National Audit Office (NAO) reported that by December 2024, about 35% of people in asylum accommodation were still in hotels, with the rest in other supported housing.

If courts order more hotel closures, the government must quickly find approved beds. Likely responses include:

• Repurposing buildings already in the pipeline
• Accelerating contracts with housing providers
• Moving people to different regions

Each option has practical consequences:
– Children may have to change schools mid-term
– People may lose access to their solicitors
– Community links can break overnight

At the same time, the overall hotel bill has fallen due to fewer properties in use and tighter contracts. Councils, however, say costs have been pushed onto local services and insist on:

• Early consultation
• Published impact assessments
• Funding that is tied to placements

Without these measures, councils warn hotel closures ordered by courts will merely shift problems elsewhere.

Practical advice for people in the asylum system

For those needing financial or housing help while an asylum claim is processed:

• Apply for asylum support using the ASF1 form.
• Official guidance and the application are here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-asylum-support-asf1

This support can cover accommodation and a small weekly allowance. Legal aid solicitors and charity caseworkers can assist with paperwork and appeals if support is refused.

Advocates stress that exit plans must meet the needs of families and vulnerable people. Without stable placements in standard homes, people can end up cycling between temporary sites, which harms children and delays recovery for those fleeing conflict or persecution. Neighbouring communities also become frustrated when people are stuck for months with insufficient information.

Politics and the outlook

The politics around hotel use are sharp:

• Conservatives blame Labour for letting numbers rise in its first months in office.
• Labour says it inherited a large hotel network built up since 2020, is driving costs down, and is trying to open safer, more suitable sites.
• Reform UK calls for tougher controls and encourages councils to take legal action against the Home Office.

One fact is not in dispute: there is no clear evidence that hotel use sits mainly in Labour areas. As of this week, both Labour and Conservative councils host asylum seeker hotels, and both are pursuing legal action or preparing to do so. The likely next phase is a string of hearings through the autumn. The Home Office is under pressure to show where people will go if judges continue to order hotels closed.

For official statistics and further reading on asylum and accommodation, see the Home Office’s quarterly release: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-system-statistics-quarterly-release.