Overview

• The UK government will close seven asylum hotels in the New Year, reducing the total number in use to 213 from a peak of over 400 under the previous administration.
• Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized that housing asylum seekers in hotels is costly, with expenses previously reaching £8.8 million per day, and described it as an inappropriate solution.
• The Labour government has focused on clearing a significant backlog of asylum cases, which had stalled under the previous government, with monthly decision-making having dropped by 70% before the election.
• More than 35,000 people have crossed the Channel this year, including over 21,000 since Labour took office, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowing to combat criminal gangs facilitating illegal crossings.
• The Labour government has ruled out expanding safe routes for asylum seekers, arguing that targeting criminal networks is a more effective preventative measure.