Overview
- The Home Office closed 11 asylum hotels on Tuesday, bringing the total number of hotel sites in use to just under 190.
- Residents are being relocated into larger, more basic accommodation, including ex‑military barracks like Crowborough in East Sussex, which now houses about 350 people.
- Officials say this round of closures will save about £65 million a year, with a pledge to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers by the next election.
- The closures align with an industry day for a £10 billion re‑tender of asylum accommodation contracts for 2029 to 2036 that is designed to reduce reliance on hotels.
- Local councillors have raised concerns about limited consultation and vetting as people are moved into dispersed housing in towns and villages, reflecting ongoing community tensions around site placements.