Mass Closure of Migrant Hotels Announced by Government
The UK government is expected to announce plans to close 50 hotels used to house migrants by January, citing the high cost to taxpayers. The use of hotels has increased as the number of asylum seekers in the UK reached a near 20-year high last year. The Home Office has a statutory obligation to house asylum seekers while their claims are being processed. Some hotels have already stopped housing migrants, and the government is considering using barges as an alternative accommodation option. The legality of a plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda is currently being considered by the Supreme Court. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak aims to reduce the number of illegal migrants entering the UK.