This briefing addresses some of the issues frequently raised by constituents about asylum claims in the UK.
Documents to download
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Asylum accommodation: the use of hotels (92 KB, PDF)
Many Members of Parliament are receiving correspondence from constituents asking about the use of hotels to accommodate people seeking asylum.
It is not typical for asylum seekers to be accommodated in hotels. Hotels are one kind of contingency accommodation that may be used by the Home Office’s asylum accommodation providers when there is a good reason to do so. The number of people seeking asylum being temporarily accommodated in hotels has risen since September 2019. This has been due to issues with the accommodation provider contracts and, more recently, because of measures to limit the risk of spreading Covid-19.
This short briefing is intended to help Members and their staff respond to common questions on this topic. It provides some background information about the policy on the use of hotels as asylum accommodation, the reasons why there has been an increase in the use of hotels, and the available data on how many people seeking asylum are being accommodated in this way.
Documents to download
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Asylum accommodation: the use of hotels (92 KB, PDF)
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