Targeted by the right, Britain’s asylum hotels breed fear and disorder

Britain’s asylum hotels remain under intense pressure in 2025, as far-right protests grow, the government pledges to end hotel use by 2029, and thousands still wait for decisions amid poor living conditions. At stake are safety, cost, and the futures of people seeking protection.

Authorities report 32,345 asylum seekers living in 218 hotels as of March 2025. Ministers say hotels must end; contractors profit; local communities feel strain; and residents fear harassment linked to online “migrant hunting.”

What’s happening now

• Scale and cost
  • The government spent £4.7 billion on asylum accommodation in 2024, including £3.1 billion on hotels.
  • The average nightly hotel cost is £158 per person, compared with £20 in dispersal housing.
  • Private contractors reported £380 million in profit in May 2025; Britannia Hotels has earned over £150 million since 2014.
• Backlog
  • 109,500 people awaited decisions in March 2025, down from 124,000 at the end of 2024, but still high.
  • Long waits harm mental health and slow integration.
• Government policy
  • Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Labour government pledge to end hotel use by 2029, aiming to save £1 billion each year.
  • A white paper in May 2025 set plans to cut small boat arrivals, increase removals, and phase out hotels.
• Legislation
  • The Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill (introduced Jan 2025) would repeal the Safety of Rwanda Act 2024 and raise penalties for smugglers.
  • It does not set new accommodation standards or broaden asylum seekers’ right to work.
• Returns
  • Labour increased returns to 34,000 in 2024, an 18% rise.
  • Plans for third-country “return hubs” are in talks, but details remain unclear.

Fear and disorder around asylum hotels

• Far-right targeting
  • In summer 2025, activists doubled their efforts since 2021, recording more than 250 hotel visits.
  • They livestream confrontations and spread misinformation, often after high-profile crime allegations.
  • Protests in Epping, Essex, spurred copycat events nationwide.
• Impact on residents
  • People report fear after violent incidents, including attempted arson in 2024.
  • Adults and children from war zones feel trapped in a hostile climate.
  • Refugee groups warn that harassment, long waits, and bans on work keep families in limbo.
• Living conditions
  • Reports describe insect infestations, collapsing ceilings, abusive staff, and poor safeguarding.
  • Women in mixed-sex hotels face particular risks, including harassment.

“Harassment, long waits, and bans on work keep families in limbo.”
— Common warning from refugee groups and advocates

Why hotels persist

Hotels function as “contingency accommodation” when dispersal housing is unavailable. The Home Office hires private providers, but oversight is widely criticized. Ending hotels without new homes risks moving the problem, not solving it.

Financial and social costs

• To taxpayers
  • High nightly rates, contract profits, and long stays drive large public spending.
• To residents
  • Months or years without stability, limited access to work, and restricted services harm wellbeing.
• To communities
  • Local concerns over services and safety can be legitimate, but they are also exploited by extremists.

Government stance and next steps

Ministers reiterate the 2029 end-date for asylum hotels and promise tougher enforcement and faster decisions. Further policy detail is expected later in summer 2025.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the pledge’s success depends on:
– more dispersal housing
– faster casework
– stronger safeguards against harassment

Refugee charities’ view

Charities call for:
– Community-based housing, not large-scale institutional sites
– Better support services, including trauma care and legal help
– Clear standards for safety and dignity
– A review of the work ban to reduce dependency and isolation

Local communities’ view

• Many residents want fair funding for schools, health services, and policing.
• They ask for honest information, not rumor.
• Local leaders stress that peaceful debate must not become intimidation outside hotels.

How the backlog shapes daily life

• A mother from Syria, with two children in a coastal hotel, waits for months with no nearby school place.
• A Sudanese teacher, eager to work, spends days in a small room, worried about livestreamers filming outside.

These quiet stories sit behind the headlines, showing how delays and public hostility combine.

What could help now

1. Better safeguarding: clear rules for mixed-sex hotels, trained staff, and faster responses to complaints.
2. Information sharing: timely data for local councils to plan schooling, GP access, and social care.
3. Rapid triage: prioritise obvious protection cases to cut delays.
4. More dispersal homes: convert empty public buildings into small units with community oversight.
5. Enforcement against harassment: police action on doxxing, threats, and trespass.

Official information and rights

For complaints about accommodation or to understand Home Office responsibilities, see the Home Office’s page on asylum and accommodation services on the UK government website. This helps residents and advocates track standards and routes to raise issues.

How placement in hotels works in 2025

1. Arrival and claim: people apply at the border or in-country for protection.
2. Assessment for support: the Home Office decides if they qualify for accommodation and a small allowance.
3. Hotel placement: if dispersal housing is full, private contractors place them in hotels.
4. Waiting: people often remain for months due to backlogs.
5. Services: access to healthcare and legal advice exists but can be patchy; the right to work remains limited.
6. Decision: recognised refugees move to longer-term housing; refused applicants may face removal or appeal.

Political context

• Government: end hotels by 2029, expand removals, reduce irregular entries.
• Refugee charities: replace hotels with community homes, end harmful rhetoric, fund support services.
• Far-right groups: continue protests and online pressure.
• Communities: mixed views; many want solutions and calm discussion.

Numbers to watch in 2025

Practical tips for affected families

• Keep copies of all Home Office letters and appointments.
• Ask your hotel for contact details for your asylum support caseworker.
• Seek legal aid early; missed deadlines can harm your case.
• Register with a GP; mental health support matters during long waits.
• Report harassment to police and the hotel manager; ask for a move if unsafe.

Wider implications

Ending asylum hotels will put pressure on the wider housing system. Without new, small-scale sites across Britain, there is a risk of more emergency placements and more strain on services. Councils need funding and predictability. The public needs honest communication. Residents need safety and time to rebuild.

The stakes are high. If Britain delivers enough dispersal homes, invests in caseworkers, and protects hotel residents from harassment now, the 2029 goal can be more than a slogan. If not, hotels will remain a symbol of cost, fear, and missed chances.

As the debate continues, remember that behind “asylum hotels” are families and individuals who fled war, torture, or persecution. They need fairness, not fear. They need timely decisions, safe housing, and a path to contribute. The choices made in the next year will determine whether those goals are met.