The UK government plans to close 50 hotels used to house asylum seekers by January as part of its effort to reduce asylum claims. These hotel contracts cost the taxpayer £8 million per day. Labour's shadow immigration minister criticized the move as insufficient.
The government aims to reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving via small boats through agreements with France and Albania, stricter penalties for illegal migration, and increased room-sharing in hotels. They will also use disused military sites for accommodation.
The Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland will continue to house asylum seekers. The government's plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda for claims is under consideration by the Supreme Court.
Asylum applications have surged in the UK, with a record 175,000 applications processed in August. The government has increased the number of caseworkers but faces concerns about housing as the backlog of cases remains largely unchanged.