Key facts
- The number of asylum seekers housed in UK hotels has fallen by 50% year-on-year, from over 32,000 to over 16,000.
- Asylum claims have decreased by a fifth, with 86,000 applications in the year to June.
- Approximately 38,000 illegal arrivals were detected in the year to June, with 33,000 arriving on small boats.
- The number of foreign offenders, visa overstayers, and failed asylum applicants removed from the UK increased by 8% to 40,000 in the year to June 2026.
- The number of businesses stripped of the right to sponsor migrant workers has surged to 4,403 in the 12 months to June 2026.
The number of asylum seekers housed in hotels across the UK has fallen by half in a year, with figures dropping from over 32,000 to over 16,000. This significant decrease is attributed to a combination of factors, including sweeping changes to the asylum system, a drop in legal arrivals and asylum claims, and the government's strategy of shifting asylum seekers into privately rented accommodation, such as houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that these figures demonstrate the government's success in restoring control at the border and fairness to the migration system, highlighting a reduction in the asylum backlog, falling hotel occupancy, record levels of illegal working arrests, and increased deportations and returns. Small boat crossings to the UK have also seen a year-on-year decrease of 23%, attributed to increased trafficking arrests and interceptions by French police.
However, tens of thousands of people remain in other forms of controversial contingency accommodation. The shift from hotels to other housing has led to an 8% fall in Home Office spending, though the government is reportedly considering higher prices for private rental properties. Charities have documented injuries sustained by asylum seekers during deportations back to France, and concerns remain about deterring small boat Channel crossings.
Experts note that the closure of hotels is largely due to faster asylum decision-making, but an asylum appeals backlog in the courts now exists. Separately, the number of businesses stripped of their right to sponsor migrant workers has surged to its highest level since the scheme's introduction, with concerns raised about potential exploitation within the skilled worker visa system.