Ministers Announce Plans to Phase Out 100 Hotels Amidst Soaring Costs

A quarter of migrant hotels in the UK will be returned to public use by the spring, as the government takes action to address the rising costs of housing asylum seekers. Currently, over 47,000 asylum seekers are accommodated in 400 hotels across the country, costing £8 million per day.

Slump in Crossings and Reduced Room Sharing Contribute to Declining Demand

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick attributed the decrease in demand for hotels to a slump in the number of crossings this year. In addition, the practice of room sharing has also helped to reduce the number of hotels needed. As a result, the government plans to phase out 50 hotels by the end of January, followed by another 50 by the end of March.

Concerns Over the Impact on Local Communities

While the government acknowledges the need to address the rising costs and reduce reliance on hotels, Minister Jenrick also admitted that the use of hotels has been "damaging" to communities across the country. To mitigate the impact on local communities, the government plans to allocate former military bases as housing for arrivals.

Labour Criticizes Government's Efforts as Insufficient

However, the plans to return only a quarter of migrant hotels to public use have been criticized by the Labour Party. Shadow Immigration Minister Stephen Kinnock accused Minister Jenrick of insufficient action, stating that the number of hotels being phased out is paltry. In response, Minister Jenrick fired back, claiming that the Labour Party's plans for new towns would be filled with illegal migrants.

As the government takes steps to address the rising costs of housing asylum seekers, a quarter of migrant hotels will be returned to public use by the spring. With a slump in crossings this year and reduced room sharing, the demand for hotels has decreased. However, concerns over the impact on local communities remain. The Labour Party criticizes the government's efforts as insufficient, sparking a fiery clash in the Commons.