Number of asylum seekers in hotels halves in a year
Summary
The number of asylum seekers staying in hotels in the UK has dropped by half in one year, from over 32,000 in June 2025 to about 16,000 in June 2026. Overall, arrivals by small boats and asylum claims have also decreased, while the government has sped up decision-making on asylum cases and increased deportations.Key Facts
- Over 32,000 asylum seekers stayed in hotels in June 2025; this fell to about 16,000 by June 2026.
- Illegal arrivals detected in the year to June 2026 totaled 38,000, with 33,000 arriving on small boats from France.
- The number of asylum claims dropped by 20%, with 86,000 claims in the latest year.
- About half of asylum claims came from people already legally in the UK, not new arrivals.
- The backlog for initial asylum decisions fell from 175,000 in June 2023 to 40,000 in June 2026.
- Around 40,000 people without valid reasons to stay were removed from the UK in the past year, an 8% increase.
- Work visas issued dropped by 18% compared to the previous year, including a 90% fall in specialist health and care worker visas.
- Family reunification visas declined by 19%, mainly due to stricter rules making it harder for refugee families to join relatives.
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