Dozens of demonstrations or protests are expected this weekend outside hotels being used to house asylum seekers, as political and legal battles intensify over the government’s approach.
The latest figures show that more than 32,000 asylum seekers are currently accommodated in hotels an 8% increase since Labour came to power, though still below the 2023 peak under the Conservatives.
Anti-migrant rallies, alongside counter-protests organised by Stand Up to Racism, are due to take place in towns and cities, including Bournemouth, Cardiff, Leeds, Perth and Aberdeen. Two weeks ago, 3,000 riot police were placed on standby ahead of similar protests, but the National Police Chiefs’ Council said no additional mobilisation was planned for this weekend, while stressing that contingency arrangements remain in place.
Meanwhile, local councils led by Labour, Conservatives, and Reform UK are exploring whether to launch legal challenges against asylum hotels. This follows a temporary injunction secured on Tuesday by Epping Forest council, blocking the use of the Bell Hotel in Essex. Broxbourne council is considering a similar move.
In a letter to the home secretary, Broxbourne MP Lewis Cocking warned that residents were understandably concerned about the impact of housing “unvetted men from barbaric cultures” on local safety.
Read More: Home office to stop accommodating asylum seekers at hotel
He also urged reassurance that asylum seekers from Epping would not be transferred to another hotel in his constituency.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper said the government was committed to closing asylum hotels as swiftly as possible in a managed way that avoided shifting problems onto other communities. Labour has pledged to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation by 2029.
Cooper argued progress had already been made through cutting the asylum backlog, reducing costs, and increasing returns of unsuccessful applicants.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said residents had “every right” to protest over asylum accommodation in their areas.
Government data published on Thursday shows overall spending on the asylum system has fallen 12% over the past year. The backlog of initial asylum decisions has also dropped below 100,000 for the first time in four years.
Hotels and large sites, such as former military bases, are used as contingency accommodation when longer-term housing is unavailable. The Home Office has a legal duty to provide shelter to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.
However, refugee support groups report growing hostility, with many facing threats, relocating offices, or even closing services in response to far-right intimidation. Half of NGOs assisting asylum seekers have experienced safety concerns since the riots of 2024, according to research.
Read also: UK asylum plans in crisis after court orders closure of migrant hotel
