Fresh Home Office data has revealed a sharp rise in asylum applications in the United Kingdom (UK), with 32,059 asylum seekers still accommodated in hotels as of June 2024.
The figure marks an 8 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, though slightly lower than the previous quarter and far below the September 2023 peak of 56,042.
Overall, the UK is now dealing with a record 111,000 asylum claims representing a 14 per cent jump year-on-year. “Irregular” arrivals have also climbed to 49,000, up 27 per cent, while the number of individuals awaiting an initial decision has dropped by nearly a quarter to 90,812.
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Forced removals have risen to 9,072, a 25 per cent increase from last year.
The housing of asylum seekers in hotels remains a flashpoint.
This week, the High Court ordered a hotel in Epping to cease housing migrants following a council challenge, with other local authorities including Labour-run councils considering similar moves.
Responding to the figures, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper blamed the previous administration for leaving behind a “broken immigration and asylum system,” while stressing that the Labour government has since tightened immigration controls, reduced costs, and increased enforcement.
But opposition voices remain critical. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Labour of misleading the public about reductions in asylum hotels, arguing that progress had stalled since the last election.
Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Lisa Smart expressed concern about the long-standing backlog, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage pointed to “record numbers” of claims as proof of government failure.
Refugee Council chief Enver Solomon renewed calls to end the use of hotels, insisting: “Everyone agrees that hotels are the wrong answer.”
Behind the statistics lie personal struggles. Among them is Daastan, who has spent months living in a Yorkshire hotel, and Godgive, forced to live in a house share after leaving her young son in Cameroon.
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