In response to the escalating housing costs for asylum seekers arriving in the UK via small boats, the Home Office has issued a directive mandating that contractors book three-star hotels at a minimum for accommodating migrants. As the daily expenses for housing these individuals soar to a staggering £8 million, the move has drawn mixed reactions from the public and politicians.
The Refugee Action charity said despite the standards set in the document, many asylum seekers are ‘forced to live in grotty buildings’.
A senior member of the Conservative Party criticized the Home Office, asserting that it has “completely failed to get a grip” on the situation involving hotels used for housing migrants. The directive, found in a recently issued Home Office contract, outlines a set of “mandatory requirements” for hotels, which now includes a stipulation that “contracted venues should be at least a minimum of three stars.”
While the exact number of hotels linked to this contract remains undisclosed, it has come to light that the Home Office is also utilizing a separate agreement without any star rating requirement, according to reports in The Telegraph. Despite mounting scrutiny and concerns voiced by Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, Home Secretary Suella Braverman has not divulged specific details pertaining to the contract.
This development follows Home Secretary Braverman’s recent statements in Parliament, where she referred to the use of hotels for housing migrants as “unacceptable.” She highlighted that “too many towns and cities around the country now house the 45,000 asylum seekers who are in hotels,” shedding light on the growing challenge of managing and accommodating the influx of asylum seekers arriving via small boats.
According to reports by The Daily Mail on Saturday, September 23, 2023, the decision to mandate three-star hotel bookings appears to be a response to the ballooning costs associated with housing asylum seekers. Critics argue that this approach may be more costly than alternative solutions, such as establishing dedicated reception centers or utilizing empty government facilities. Proponents, on the other hand, contend that it offers a more humane and comfortable living environment for migrants.
This latest development underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the UK government in managing the increasing number of individuals seeking asylum, particularly those arriving via small boats across the English Channel. As the debate continues over the most appropriate and cost-effective methods of accommodation, the issue of asylum seeker housing remains a contentious and divisive topic in British politics.
