London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Investigation shows companies making millions housing migrants in UK

Investigation shows companies making millions housing migrants in UK

An investigation has discovered investors in the UK are buying up hotels to transform them into migrant shelters, with some making millions of pounds in profit.
The investigation, launched by the Mail, discovered one firm, Payman Club, run by a man named Na’im Anis Payman, had bought 12 properties for this purpose in under two years, and another, H&H Hotels, was set to make £11 million ($13.48 million) per year in profit from housing migrants.

The companies are thought to have taken advantage of the collapse of the tourism industry in the UK prompted by government lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic to pick up large commercial properties on the cheap.

The hotels are then passed on to be used by a company called Serco, responsible for housing migrants in the UK, which receives £150 per migrant per day from the Home Office.

It is thought that this year will see around 50,000 people reach the UK illegally via small boats crossing the English Channel. The country also faces a backlog of around 150,000 unresolved asylum applications.

The vast majority of those 50,000 are currently being housed at 140 hotels across the country, costing the UK taxpayer £6.8 million per day.

H&H Hotels, which was set up last year and is run by 32-year-old Egyptian Hassan Arif, currently runs or subcontracts out hotels for migrants in Skegness, Wisbech, Brighton, Eastbourne, Blackpool, Great Yarmouth and London, according to the Mail.

Despite being legal, local efforts have been brought to prevent the practice, all of which have failed. The companies have done nothing illegal, but that has not allayed fears that the government is failing to properly house migrants, that the taxpayer is losing out as a result and that local communities are being adversely affected by the practice.

Craig Leyland, leader of East Lindsey District Council, which covers Skegness and which brought legal action to the High Court, told the paper: “The company H&H have been buying up these hotels across the country. It’s opportunistic. 

“They have sniffed out that the government is throwing a lot of money at this and for a year or twos’ investment they can make a very good return — they have done their sums.

“The issue is that the Home Office is throwing quite considerable money at this, so it is an attractive business model. 

“As leader of the council, I fully understand that the Home Office is under tremendous pressure to solve this. My issue is the processing of asylum seekers is taking too long.”

Payman, 28, is of German Iranian origin and grew up in Albania, with strong business ties to the country where as many as half of all migrants crossing the Channel are thought to originate from, facilitated by Albanian organized criminal gangs, the Mail said.

After 40 migrants moved to one of Payman’s facilities in the town of Kettering in Northamptonshire in November, local MP Philip Hollobone called on Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick to resign.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The asylum accommodation system is under enormous pressure.

“Decisions on members of the public who are temporarily residing at hotels and staffing are a matter for the hoteliers, and the Home Office instructs providers to carry out thorough diligence checks before any site is used.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
×