The Home Office will begin evicting migrants from asylum hotels this spring, as part of a major policy shift to cut state support for thousands of people.
Targeted Evictions and Support Withdrawal
According to reports in The i Paper, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is preparing to end the government's automatic legal duty to support destitute asylum seekers. A source within the department confirmed the move, which will grant the minister powers to strip accommodation and weekly financial allowances from specific groups of migrants.
The policy is designed to target several categories of asylum seekers, including:
- Those who are financially self-sufficient but choose not to support themselves.
- Individuals who have the legal right to work in the UK.
- Anyone who has broken the law or is engaged in illegal employment.
- People who have refused a formal order to leave the country.
Accelerating the End of Hotel Use
The government hopes this aggressive stance will speed up the closure of asylum hotels throughout 2026. Ms Mahmood is reportedly examining plans for further shutdowns by April. Official figures from November revealed that 36,273 people were housed in temporary accommodation as of September last year, awaiting decisions on their asylum claims. This number marked a significant 13% increase compared to the figures from June.
The issue of asylum hotels was thrust into the national spotlight last year following a series of demonstrations in Epping, Essex. The protests centred on the housing of sex offender and Ethiopian national, Hadush Kebatu.
Broader Asylum Strategy and Future Plans
Ministers have pledged to completely end the use of hotels for asylum seekers by 2029. They insist the number of hotels in use has already been halved since the government took office, from 400 down to approximately 200. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reinforced this commitment in a recent BBC interview, stating, "I want us to close hotels. I think over coming months you'll see evidence of that."
This eviction plan forms part of a wider suite of measures. The government is also set to:
- Begin removals to Syria, now deemed safer by ministers after the 2024 revolution that toppled the Assad regime.
- Develop alternative housing using former military barracks, Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), and a council housing pilot scheme.
- Expand its 'one-in, one-out' returns agreement with France and negotiate a new, similar deal with Germany.
The move signifies a hardening of approach as the government seeks to clear the asylum backlog and reduce the substantial costs of hotel accommodation.
