UK to Close 7 Asylum Hotels in 2025

The UK government has announced plans to shut down seven asylum hotels early next year, according to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The closures come as the Labour-led administration claims progress in reducing the backlog of asylum applications.

Speaking to the Home Affairs Committee, Cooper stated, "We are determined to continue making progress on this issue, emphasizing the government’s commitment to tackling long-standing inefficiencies in the asylum process, Sky News reported.

During its election campaign, the Labour Party pledged to end the reliance on hotels for housing asylum seekers while their claims are processed.

However, Border Security Minister Angela Eagle acknowledged that while seven hotels have closed since July, 14 new ones have opened during the same period, bringing the total to 220 asylum hotels in use.

Eagle revealed that approximately 116,000 asylum seekers have been stuck in the system for over two years, blaming the previous government’s policies for the crisis.

She criticized the Conservatives for prioritizing "unworkable" policies such as the Rwanda deportation plan, which she claimed had diverted attention from fixing the asylum system.

Despite the Labour government's efforts, the UK continues to see significant numbers of migrants arriving via the English Channel.

Official figures show that over 35,000 migrants have reached the UK so far this year, including more than 21,000 arriving in small boats since Labour took office in July.