UK to Close Asylum Hotels

Home Office ministers have trumpeted a significant reduction in the number of hotels used to house asylum seekers, which has fallen to 185 from a peak of 400.

The government maintains that the use of hotels had 'spiralled out of control' and that military sites provide a more sustainable and cost-effective solution.

However, the Refugee Council has criticized the decision, arguing that army barracks are unsuitable for long-term housing and may ultimately prove more expensive.

The accelerated closure program is part of a broader strategy to end the hotel policy before the next general election.