Key facts
- Forty children who went missing from UK asylum hotels remain unaccounted for.
- Two of the missing individuals are still children.
- The Joint Committee on Human Rights has raised concerns about the ongoing disappearances.
- Over 400 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children went missing from Home Office hotel sites in 2023.
- The High Court previously ruled the use of hotels for lone child asylum seekers unlawful.
Forty children who went missing from hotels housing asylum seekers in the UK remain unaccounted for, according to a parliamentary report. The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) has raised significant concerns, noting that while most missing children have been found, two are still believed to be under 18, raising fears of exploitation.
In 2023, it was revealed that over 400 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children had gone missing from Home Office hotel sites, some as young as 12. The High Court had previously ruled the Home Office's practice of housing lone child asylum seekers in hotels unlawful, with the government citing an increase in Channel crossings as justification for temporary accommodation.
The JCHR report confirmed that as of June, 40 individuals who went missing during their childhood had still not been located. Guidance has been issued to police to continue searching for these children. Former border security and asylum minister Angela Eagle noted that some individuals who were traced had been found in exploitative situations, possibly as victims of trafficking.
Parliamentarians are urging the Home Office to clarify its specific actions to locate these children, investigate the reasons for their disappearances, and prevent future occurrences, requesting quarterly updates. The Equality and Human Rights Commission also criticized the government's treatment of new arrivals, citing gaps in social security and protection from poverty, and the termination of a refugee support program.
In related developments, 13 hotels housing asylum seekers have closed, with the government aiming to reduce the total number of hotels below 160, a move expected to save taxpayers money. Officials stated that police forces are responsible for investigating missing children cases, and the Home Office continues to review records and share information to support these investigations.