Asylum seekers housed in UK hotels halve in year, data shows

Figures show decline in legal migration arrivals, asylum claims and small boat arrivals compared with year ago

The number of asylum seekers housed in hotels across the UK has fallen by half in a year, with more than 16,000 people in hotel accommodation as of June, according to Home Office data released Thursday. In its quarterly immigration report, the Home Office said around 16,000 supported asylum seekers, or 17% of the total, were living in hotel accommodation, down 50% from more than 32,000 people, or 34%, in June 2025. The data also showed declines in legal migration arrivals, asylum claims and small boat arrivals compared with a year earlier. The Home Office said the figures indicated that policies aimed at curbing migration were having an effect but warned that more remained to be done to address small boat crossings. It said there were 136.8 million arrivals to the UK in the year ending June 2026, with British nationals accounting for 57% of the total. Of the non-British arrivals, most were short-term visitors, while smaller numbers arrived for other reasons, including work, study or joining family members. Meanwhile, 2.2 million visitor visas and 19,684 transit visas were granted during the same period. The figures also showed a decline in the number of family members arriving in Britain to join someone already in the country, while asylum claims fell by a fifth. Around 38,000 irregular arrivals were detected in the year to June, including 33,000 people who crossed the English Channel in small boats from France.