The law requires the government to house asylum-seekers. Numbers soared in 2020, forcing ministers to use hotels nationwide.
Over 27,000 unauthorized migrants have arrived this year, nearly 50% higher than last year’s figures.
By June, hotels sheltered more than 32,000 asylum-seekers, an 8% rise from 2024 but far below 2023’s peak.
Protests Erupt Across the Country
Protesters marched on Saturday in cities including Liverpool, Bristol, Newcastle, and London under the slogan Abolish Asylum System.
Right-wing groups led rallies, while counter-protesters from Stand Up To Racism organized in Liverpool to oppose them.
Police escorted away demonstrators from the right-wing protests and pushed back counter-protesters as tensions escalated.
Legal Battles Fuel Political Divide
A court ruling blocked asylum housing in a London-area hotel, inspiring opponents to challenge similar sites.
Right-wing politicians seized on the injunction to urge other communities to launch lawsuits against hotel accommodation.
The Home Office confirmed 111,084 asylum applications in the year to June 2025, the highest since records began in 2001.
The National Audit Office reported in May that hotels still housed 35% of all asylum-seekers in temporary accommodation.
