The Home Office has announced that hundreds of asylum seekers have been removed from government-funded hotels, while others have been moved to live in army barracks.
According to the department, 11 “asylum hotels” in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have now closed, with more closures expected in the coming weeks. The move marks another step in the government’s effort to reduce reliance on hotel accommodation for people seeking asylum.
About 350 claimants have been transferred to the Crowborough military camp in east Sussex. A spokesperson described the site as “basic accommodation”.
The announcement has drawn criticism from the Refugee Council, which said Labour’s decision to use military sites is unsuitable. The charity also argued that such accommodation is more expensive than hotels.
The Home Office has not detailed how many additional asylum seekers may be moved into military facilities, but it has made clear that the closure of hotel sites will continue. The department said further closures are planned over the coming weeks.
The latest changes follow a wider shift in the handling of asylum accommodation, with the government seeking to reduce the number of people housed in hotels. The use of barracks and other military sites has become part of that approach, despite concerns raised by refugee organisations.
Hotels have been at the centre of the asylum accommodation system in recent years, and the government has faced ongoing pressure over their cost and use. The new announcement suggests that the Home Office is now accelerating the process of closing some of these sites and relocating residents elsewhere.
For the time being, the focus remains on the 11 closed hotels and the 350 people moved to Crowborough, with more changes expected soon as the government continues its shift away from hotel-based accommodation.
